Embodiments of the present disclosure include a method for extracting symbols from a digitized object. The method includes processing the word block against a dictionary. The method includes comparing the word block against a word in the dictionary, the comparison providing a confidence factor. The method includes outputting a prediction equal to the word when the confidence factor is greater than a predetermined threshold. The method includes evaluating properties of the word block when the confidence factor is less than the predetermined threshold. The method includes predicting a value of the word block based on the properties of the word block. The method further includes determining an error rate for the predicted value of the word block. The method includes outputting a value for the word block, the output equal to a calculated value corresponding to a value of the word block having the lowest error rate.