A visual wear indicator for a tire comprising: a tread region of the tire having a ground engaging surface ; and a wear pattern formed in the tread region having a first portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a first dimension which ranges from 0% to about 25% of a useable tread depth, a second portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a second dimension which ranges from about 25% to about 50% of a useable tread depth, a third portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a third dimension which ranges from about 50% to about 75% of a useable tread depth, and a fourth portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a fourth dimension which ranges from about 75% to about 100% of a useable tread depth, characterised in that the first, second, third, and fourth portions of the wear pattern are arranged in an open-centered square, where the first portion is perpendicular to the second and fourth portions , the second portion is perpendicular to the first and third portions , the third portion is perpendicular to the second and fourth portions , and the fourth portion is perpendicular to the first and third portions , the first, second, third and fourth portions of the wear pattern enclose a central region therebetween and are spaced apart at the corners of the central region, and the fourth portion forms an exclamation point upon reaching approximately 100% of the useable tread depth. a tread region of the tire having a ground engaging surface ; and a wear pattern formed in the tread region having a first portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a first dimension which ranges from 0% to about 25% of a useable tread depth, a second portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a second dimension which ranges from about 25% to about 50% of a useable tread depth, a third portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a third dimension which ranges from about 50% to about 75% of a useable tread depth, and a fourth portion extending substantially radially inward into the tread region from the ground engaging surface by a fourth dimension which ranges from about 75% to about 100% of a useable tread depth, characterised in that the first, second, third, and fourth portions of the wear pattern are arranged in an open-centered square, where the first portion is perpendicular to the second and fourth portions , the second portion is perpendicular to the first and third portions , the third portion is perpendicular to the second and fourth portions , and the fourth portion is perpendicular to the first and third portions , the first, second, third and fourth portions of the wear pattern enclose a central region therebetween and are spaced apart at the corners of the central region, and the fourth portion forms an exclamation point upon reaching approximately 100% of the useable tread depth. <EOS>