Stumped by this Crossword Clue? The Answer is Out Standing!

Once upon a time, there was a corn field that was the envy of all the other crops in the neighborhood. The corn stalks stood tall and proud, with the sun shining down on them and the wind rustling their leaves. But there was one stalk that was different from all the others. It didn’t quite fit in with the rest. It was a bit shorter and had a crooked stem, making it “out standing” in its field.

The other corn stalks teased the odd one out, not realizing that it had a very important purpose. You see, that stalk was the perfect height for a certain kind of bird to perch on and peck at the corn kernels. The other stalks were too tall or too short, but that little “out standing” stalk was just right.

One day, a farmer was doing a crossword puzzle in the newspaper and came across the clue “Something out standing in its field?” After a bit of thought, he realized the answer was “STALK.” And just like that, he saw the value in that odd little stalk in his corn field. He no longer saw it as an outcast, but rather as an integral part of his harvest.

From then on, the farmer made sure to appreciate every single stalk in his field, knowing that each one had a unique purpose and contribution to make. And every time he did a crossword puzzle, he smiled to himself, thinking about that one little “out standing” stalk that had taught him such an important lesson.