A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises: a cartridge body, comprising: a proximal end; a distal end; a deck; a longitudinal slot defined in said deck extending from said proximal end toward said distal end; and a staple cavity, comprising: a top opening defined in said deck; a bottom opening; a proximal guide; a distal guide; a sidewall extending between said proximal guide and said distal guide; and an intermediate guide extending inwardly from said sidewall; and a staple removably stored in said staple cavity, comprising: a proximal leg positioned within said proximal guide; a distal leg positioned within said distal guide; and a base extending between said proximal leg and said distal leg, wherein said intermediate guide is positioned to guide said base and hold said proximal leg in said proximal guide and said distal leg in said distal guide, and characterised in that said staple cavity further comprises: a proximal cavity end proximal to said proximal guide; and a distal cavity end distal to said distal guide, wherein a first clearance gap is present between said staple base, said intermediate guide, and said distal cavity end, and wherein a second clearance gap is present between said staple base, said intermediate guide, and said proximal cavity end. a cartridge body, comprising: a proximal end; a distal end; a deck; a longitudinal slot defined in said deck extending from said proximal end toward said distal end; and a staple cavity, comprising: a top opening defined in said deck; a bottom opening; a proximal guide; a distal guide; a sidewall extending between said proximal guide and said distal guide; and an intermediate guide extending inwardly from said sidewall; and a proximal end; a distal end; a deck; a longitudinal slot defined in said deck extending from said proximal end toward said distal end; and a staple cavity, comprising: a top opening defined in said deck; a bottom opening; a proximal guide; a distal guide; a sidewall extending between said proximal guide and said distal guide; and an intermediate guide extending inwardly from said sidewall; and a top opening defined in said deck; a bottom opening; a proximal guide; a distal guide; a sidewall extending between said proximal guide and said distal guide; and an intermediate guide extending inwardly from said sidewall; and a staple removably stored in said staple cavity, comprising: a proximal leg positioned within said proximal guide; a distal leg positioned within said distal guide; and a base extending between said proximal leg and said distal leg, wherein said intermediate guide is positioned to guide said base and hold said proximal leg in said proximal guide and said distal leg in said distal guide, and a proximal leg positioned within said proximal guide; a distal leg positioned within said distal guide; and a base extending between said proximal leg and said distal leg, wherein said intermediate guide is positioned to guide said base and hold said proximal leg in said proximal guide and said distal leg in said distal guide, and characterised in that said staple cavity further comprises: a proximal cavity end proximal to said proximal guide; and a distal cavity end distal to said distal guide, wherein a first clearance gap is present between said staple base, said intermediate guide, and said distal cavity end, and wherein a second clearance gap is present between said staple base, said intermediate guide, and said proximal cavity end. a proximal cavity end proximal to said proximal guide; and a distal cavity end distal to said distal guide, wherein a first clearance gap is present between said staple base, said intermediate guide, and said distal cavity end, and wherein a second clearance gap is present between said staple base, said intermediate guide, and said proximal cavity end.