Stumped by this crossword clue? Discover the ANSWER!

Once upon a time in a small, peaceful village, there lived a wise old owl named Oliver. Oliver had the unique ability to understand and solve the riddles of the world, making him the go-to problem solver for all the animals in the woodland.

One bright morning, as the sun cast a golden glow upon the trees, Oliver received a rather peculiar request. It was a crossword puzzle clue left by a mischievous squirrel who loved to challenge Oliver’s wit. The clue read, “That’s ___ shame.” Oliver’s task was to decipher this clue and find the four-letter word that corresponded with it.

Scratching his fluffy feathers, Oliver pondered this clue. He knew that crossword puzzles often held hidden meanings, and this one was no different. “That’s ___ shame,” he muttered to himself, examining each word carefully. Suddenly, it struck him like a lightning bolt, illuminating his wide owl eyes.

Oliver realized that the missing word in the clue carried a specific weight—a sense of authenticity, reality, and truth. And just like that, he knew the answer, a word that perfectly encapsulated the essence of the clue: “AREAL.”

With the answer in his beak, Oliver set out to find the squirrel. As he hopped and fluttered through the enchanting forest, word of Oliver’s brilliance and quest spread among the animals. They were eagerly awaiting the solution as well, for they too were puzzled by the crossword clue.

Finally, Oliver reached a towering tree deep in the woods, where the mischievous squirrel resided. The squirrel was perched on a branch, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He couldn’t wait to see if the wise owl could crack the clue he had so cleverly crafted.

With a theatrical flair, Oliver proclaimed, “The word you are looking for, dear squirrel, is ‘AREAL’!” He presented the answer with a flourish, the word glowing brightly in his beak like a cosmic secret.

The squirrel’s jaw dropped, his eyes widening in astonishment. “How did you do it, wise Oliver?” he exclaimed, impressed by the insightful connection the wise owl had made.

Oliver smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Crossword puzzles are like miniature adventures,” he replied. “They reveal hidden connections and invite us to explore the depths of our minds. In this case, ‘AREAL’ perfectly captures the essence of the clue, as it implies the genuine truth behind something that is a shame.”

From that day forward, Oliver’s reputation as the ultimate riddle solver grew, and he continued to help the animals of the woodland unravel the mysteries of the world, one clue at a time. The bond between crossword puzzles and the real world had been beautifully explained through Oliver’s wisdom, leaving both animals and humans marveling at the true intricacies hidden within the simplest words.