diff --git a/quad/utils-typed.rkt b/quad/utils-typed.rkt
index e75d0fb1..3a1f995e 100644
--- a/quad/utils-typed.rkt
+++ b/quad/utils-typed.rkt
@@ -180,3 +180,8 @@
 (define (split-last xs)
   (let-values ([(first-list last-list) ((inst split-at-right Any) (cast xs (Listof Any)) 1)])
     (values first-list (car last-list))))
+
+;; like cons, but joins a list to an atom
+(provide snoc)
+(define-syntax-rule (snoc xs x)
+  (append xs (list x)))
diff --git a/quad/wrap-typed.rkt b/quad/wrap-typed.rkt
index 9863e747..f8562052 100644
--- a/quad/wrap-typed.rkt
+++ b/quad/wrap-typed.rkt
@@ -263,3 +263,26 @@
                                           q)) qs) 
                   ,@(cast (if after (copy-with-attrs after (last qs)) null) (Listof Quad))
                   ))) QuadList)))
+
+
+;; installs the width in the quad.
+;; this becomes the value reported by quad-width.
+(define/typed (embed-width q w)
+  (Quad Flonum . -> . Quad)
+  (quad-attr-set q world:width-key w))
+
+;; installs the ascent in the quad.
+(define/typed (record-ascent q)
+  (Quad . -> . Quad)
+  (quad-attr-set q world:ascent-key (ascent q)))
+
+;; helper function: doesn't need contract because it's already covered by the callers
+(define/typed (render-pieces ps)
+  ((Listof Quad) . -> . (Listof Quad))
+  (define-values (initial-ps last-p) (split-last ps))
+  (snoc ((inst map Quad Quad) render-piece (cast initial-ps (Listof Quad))) (render-piece-before-break (cast last-p Quad))))
+
+
+(define/typed (calc-looseness total-width measure)
+  (Flonum Flonum . -> . Flonum)
+  (round-float (fl/ (fl- measure total-width) measure)))