22. A method comprising: receiving a query string; generating at least one computer-generated image based on the query string, in a selected typographic font; training a model based on the at least one computer generated image, the model comprising a semi-continuous hidden Markov model and optionally further comprising a Gaussian mixture model; scoring candidate handwritten word images of a collection of handwritten word images using the trained model; and based on the scores, identifying a subset of the word images.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the generating of the at least one computer-generated image comprises generating a plurality of computer-generated images based on the query string, each of the plurality of computer-generated images being generated in a different one of a set of selected typographic fonts.