FF Parable is a versatile text face designed with small text sizes (between 6 and 10 point) in mind, which makes it perfect for dictionaries, bibles, or any medium that requires a robust letterform, such as newsprint. FF Parable has low stroke contrast, making it sturdy and adaptable to many circumstances. It has a proportionally large x-height. This means that it appears larger than many other types when set at the same size: for example, 8-point FF Parable may appear like 10-point compared to some other types. Its ascenders and descenders are relatively short (without seeming constricted), which means that visually FF Parable can be set with less line spacing, proving economical in lengthy texts. Its italic provides a strong contrast to the roman, and attention has been paid to giving it a distinct identity, with quite different forms for certain punctuation characters. With small caps, bold and extra bold styles, and both oldstyle and ranging numerals for each variant, FF Parable is suited for all kinds of complex typography. The family is now used to typeset almost the whole range of printed editions of the Oxford English Dictionary. In the third edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English (2010), it is used throughout the volume, working alongside Frutiger. It’s also used in the Concise, Compact, Paperback, Pocket, Little, and Colour Oxford English Dictionary, as well as the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus.
