Trap Essence — ruling 1

You don’t have to target a creature to cast Trap Essence, although you must target a creature spell on the stack.

Trap Essence : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Trap Essence is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Counter target creature spell. Put two +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature.

How it works : Trap Essence

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1September 20, 2014· Wizards of the Coast
You don’t have to target a creature to cast Trap Essence, although you must target a creature spell on the stack.
No other card is named in this ruling.