Answer · Voynich Manuscript

The scribes followed a line-edge convention

The scribes followed a line-edge convention: a gallows glyph (p, t, k, f) prefixed to the first word of a paragraph, a single glyph (s, y, d, t) prefixed to the first word of other lines, and -m (less often -g, -d) in place of -r, -l, -in, -iin at the end of a line. These are spellings of the same words, not different words.

Most likelyAnswers 2 questionsInductiveTested0

Where it stands

Most likelyIts tests supported it: two pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

What it predicts

At least 80 % of the rules learned on half E replicate on half C (edge share at least twice the inside share, within-page shuffle z >= 3).
Normalising the line-edge words with those rules removes at least half of the information line position carries about a word's first and last glyph on half C.

What would rule it out

Fewer than half the rules replicate on half C, or normalising removes less than half the line-position information.

Evidence 2 for · none against

46 spelling changes at the edges of lines

Established · weighs heavily · F-119

FOR

Normalising them removes most of the line effect

Supported · weighs heavily · F-120

FOR

Tested by 2 runs

Run	Measured	Result	Against	Decision	Date
RUN-250	half-E line-edge rules that replicate on half C (ratio >= 2, z >= 3)	42 of 46	Within-page shuffle per rule	Supported	28 Oct
RUN-251	share of the line-position information removed by the normaliser (half C)	68 %	Raw 0.1042 / 0.0589 · normalised 0.029 / 0.0224 · interior 0.0164 / 0.0059 · Latin in the same lines 0.003 / 0.002	Supported	28 Oct

The questions it answers

Why do spellings change at the end of a line?

Part of What did the line and page add?

Most likely-m is a line-final form of -in / -n

What did the line and page add?

Part of How was the text produced on the page?

Most likely-m is a line-final form of -in / -n

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). The scribes followed a line-edge convention [Answer ANS0DCBK96J79DQ]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DCBK96J79DQ

@misc{mysteriesdept_ans0dcbk96j79dq,
  title     = {The scribes followed a line-edge convention},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Answer, catalog key ANS0DCBK96J79DQ},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DCBK96J79DQ}
}