The Lenormand 9 Card Spread has become my favorite layout for answering specific questions. You can get a lot of information from this spread by reading the columns, rows, diagonals, and adjacent card combinations. I especially like that a significator card can be chosen to represent the question (or situation) because it provides a clear focus and helps to keep the reading on track.
This spread also works great for a general readings by allowing the oracle to choose the significator randomly.
This sample 9 Card reading was done for a friend of mine who is currently single and looking for love.
Her question: Will a new love come into my life soon.
I chose the Heart as the significator to represent my friend’s love life, and then dealt the 8 additional cards from the top of the shuffled deck.
These are the cards that fell for the reading:

Nieuwe Lenormand by Erna Drowsbeke © Amber Studio, 1992 Antwerp, Belgium
Whip + Stars + Moon
Crossroads + Heart + Man
Fox + Mice + Fish
The meanings for the card positions:
1st Column = Past
2nd Column = Present
3rd Column = Future
1st Row = Thoughts, Hopes & Dream
2nd Row = The Answer to the Question
3rd Row = Factors Contributing to the Situation
Corners = Theme
Central Cross = Summary
Interpretation:
For the sake of brevity, I’m only going to include the main card groupings in this interpretation.
Answer to the Question - Crossroads + Heart + Man
Crossroads and Heart indicate that there was separation from a relationship in the past, and Heart and Man indicate that someone new is coming into my friend’s life in the future.
The answer to the question is yes, a new love is coming into her life soon.
Past – Whip + Crossroads + Fox
Deceptions and arguments led to the break up of a relationship in the past. The Whip falls in the position of hopes and desires, and indicates that my friend initiated the conflict and the breakup. The contributing factors to both were the lies and deceptions.
This is true. My friend discovered that her ex-boyfriend was seeing his ex-girlfriend on the side, and was lying about it. My friend confronted him and the ensuing arguments ended in the breakup.
Present – Stars + Heart + Mice
My friend is still suffering from the negative effects of the past relationship (Mice next to Fox). If she’s not careful, these negative feelings may affect her future success (Mice next to Fish). She hopes to heal the past suffering (Stars next to Whip), make a new emotional start, and fall in love again (Star next to Moon).
My friend’s self-esteem has suffered, and there are trust issues now that will undoubtedly affect a future relationship.
Future – Moon + Man + Fish
A new man is coming into my friend’s life. He is sensitive and romantic, but also independent and smart. It’s possible he owns his own business, and I felt intuitively that my friend may meet this man through a business contact or at a place of business. Stars next to moon indicates that my friend will fall in love with this man, and man next to heart shows the man will be loving, compassionate and caring toward my friend, which is exactly what she needs right now.
The Moon confirms that My friend will meet this new man soon, and the 3 fish on the Fish card, 3 mice on the Mice card, and 3 stars on the Stars card seemed to say it will happen in 3: between 3 weeks and 3 months. ( I thought 3 days might be a little bit too soon.)
The Corners, Central Cross, Diagonals and other combinations, will summarize the reading and tie everything together, but the columns and rows will always provide the meat of the reading.
This reading was done on Sat., Feb. 21st. My friend has not yet met her new man (and so we know it wasn’t “3 days”), but I will post feedback when he shows up at her doorstep.