So, I was trying to solve the New York Times crossword the other day, and one clue really got me stuck: “divination aids.” I mean, what could that even be? I stared at the grid, and those empty squares were mocking me. I’m pretty good at crosswords, but this one had me stumped. I decided to take a break and look it up online.
First, I searched for “divination aids nyt”. And guess what popped up? “The answer is Tarot.” Tarot? Seriously? I’ve never used Tarot cards, and I’ve only seen them in movies. It seemed a bit… out there. But hey, the internet said it, so maybe there was something to it.
Then I kept digging. I found out this clue has shown up in the NYT crossword before, specifically on May 2nd. Interesting. It’s like this “divination aids” thing is a recurring mystery. I stumbled upon some websites talking about psychics and how they use different tools for their readings. Tarot cards were mentioned again, along with other things like crystal balls and runes.
I even found this article about an exhibition at the Bodleian Library in Oxford called “Oracles, Omens & Answers.” Sounds cool, right? It’s all about divination and how people have tried to predict the future throughout history. Seems like this whole divination thing is a way bigger deal than I thought.
Anyway, back to the crossword. With “Tarot” in my head, I looked at the grid again. I tried to see if any of the letters fit with the other words I already had. And boom! It clicked. The shaded squares in the puzzle, when you looked at them phonetically, they kind of hinted at the answer, “Tarot.” It was a clever little trick.
My Experience Summary
- Started with the NYT crossword.
- Got stuck on the “divination aids” clue.
- Searched online for “divination aids nyt.”
- Found “Tarot” as a possible answer.
- Learned about psychics and divination tools.
- Discovered an exhibition on divination at the Bodleian Library.
- Figured out the shaded squares were a phonetic hint.
- Solved the puzzle!
It was a fun little adventure, all thanks to a tricky crossword clue. I never thought I’d be learning about Tarot cards and ancient divination practices, but here we are. Who knew a crossword could be so educational?
