Dear Jessica Brennan,
Dad and I are avid crossword-ers. No crossword is safe in our house — the harder the better. One of the clues that crops up from time to time and sort of messes with my mind is:
Paradise, 4 letters: _ _ _ _
Or
Perfect place, 4 letters: _ _ _ _
We already know the answer because it is always the same.
E_ _ _
E_E_
E_EN
EDEN
Yes, Eden is correct. As in, “the garden of”.
I never really got the meaning of this crossword clue. I know technically Eden = paradise, but I think maybe we should come up with a new clue description now that we have a few thousand years under our belt and have had time to reflect. Let’s face it, no one thinks fondly of a place they’ve been thrown out of.
The history of this paradise might not actually attract many visitors if it were on a travel brochure.
Eden, the place of original sin. The place that started our demise as a human race before we even got out of the gate according to some religions. The place we were expelled from.
Sounds nice.
Love,
Mum xo