Stumped by a Crossword Clue? Unveiling the Surprising Answer!

As a detective tasked with solving the mystery of the crossword clue ‘and school was hardly an ___,’ I began by carefully examining the given phrase. The key hint here lies in the word ‘hardly’ which conveys a sense of contrast or oppositeness. With this in mind, I pondered on what could possibly be the antithesis of a school environment. My mind drifted towards idyllic and peaceful scenarios, where learning happens harmoniously. And then it struck me – the Garden of Eden, a paradise-like setting before the fall of humankind! In this perfect image, schooling, with its rules and constraints, would hardly exist. The term ‘Eden’ perfectly captures the contradiction implied in the clue, making it the wise choice for the missing word.