Ertai's Meddling

Instant, XU (1)
X can't be 0.
Target spell's controller removes it from the game with X delay counters on it.
At the beginning of each of that player's upkeeps, if that card is removed from the game, remove a delay counter from it. If the card has no delay counters on it, he or she puts it onto the stack as a copy of the original spell.¹
Illus. Steve Luke

Crystal Keep Rulings Summaries

• Note that a delayed Counterspell will be countered when it resolves since the Counterspell will no longer find that its target is on the stack, which is a requirement for countering a spell. [D'Angelo 1997/10/29]
• If a spell is targeted by more than one Ertai's Meddling, the first one to resolve will remove it. The second one will find the spell isn't there and so it will be countered. [D'Angelo 2008/07/12]
• A targeted spell which is delayed will still succeed even if its target has phased out and back in again. [bethmo 1997/11/19]
• Once it is put back on the stack, it is a "new" spell again and can be countered or even targeted by another Ertai's Meddling. [D'Angelo 1999/08/18]
• This card interacts a little oddly with a Flashback spell, the Flashback ability will take effect when the Meddling removes it from the stack. Since the card is already leaving the game from the stack, the Meddling does not need to alter that. Meddling will find that it is removed from game and still be able to add counters to it. When the spell goes back on the stack as a copy, it will remember whether or not the Flashback cost was paid on the original spell. [D'Angelo 2008/07/12]
• If a copy of a spell (one that has no card representing it, such as from Mirari) is affected by Ertai's Meddling, the spell ceases to exist when removed from the game. It will get the counters, but then cease to exist at the next time state-based effects are checked, so it will never go back to the stack. [D'Angelo 2008/07/12]
• If Ertai's Meddling is used to copy a spell being played face down due to Morph ability, the spell will create a face up, 2/2, colorless, nameless creature with no text. This may be a little counter-intuitive, because you might expect the card to enter play face down like it would have when originally played, but Ertai's Meddling copies only the original spell and not the entire card the spell represented. [Jordan 2003/04/21]
• Note - Also see X Costs, Rule G24.1.
• Note - Before errata, this card was of type Interrupt. It is now an Instant.

Format Legality	Legal in Vintage, Legacy Banned in Extended, Standard
Printings (1/6)	Tempest (Rare)