A History of Short Words

From the New York Times Crossword Puzzle

OPAL

Sat, 16 Nov '24
___ Lee, activist who led the movement to make Juneteenth a federal holiday
Tue, 12 Nov '24
Iridescent gem
Mon, 4 Nov '24
Birthstone for a Halloween baby
Sat, 26 Oct '24
Birthstone that begins with the same letter as its month
Mon, 21 Oct '24
Iridescent gem
Sat, 14 Sep '24
What the ancient Romans called the "Cupid stone," considering it a symbol of love
Fri, 12 Jul '24
"Because of Winn-Dixie" narrator
Mon, 10 Jun '24
Gemstone with a "fire" variety
Tue, 4 Jun '24
The gemstone Olympic Australis, for one
Sun, 24 Mar '24
The Australia-shaped "Pride of Australia," for one
Tue, 16 Jan '24
October birthstone
Tue, 19 Dec '23
Iridescent gem
Mon, 11 Dec '23
Gem whose name comes from "upala," the Sanskrit word for "precious stone"
Tue, 17 Oct '23
October birthstone
Wed, 4 Oct '23
Australian export
Tue, 16 May '23
Fiery gem
Wed, 1 Mar '23
October birthstone
Sun, 8 Jan '23
Milky gemstone
Mon, 28 Nov '22
Gem mined in Australia
Wed, 23 Nov '22
Gemstone that can come from petrified wood
Mon, 26 Sep '22
Birthstone for most Libras
Thu, 11 Aug '22
Pick for a pendant
Thu, 4 Aug '22
Stone with silica
Fri, 3 Jun '22
Olympic Australis is a noted one
Tue, 19 Apr '22
Milky gem
Thu, 10 Feb '22
Stone with "fire" and "water" varieties
Thu, 6 Jan '22
Birthstone after sapphire
Mon, 22 Nov '21
Iridescent gem
Tue, 19 Oct '21
October birthstone
Sun, 26 Sep '21
Tometi who co-founded Black Lives Matter
Wed, 8 Sep '21
___ glass (translucent ornamental material)
Wed, 28 Jul '21
Gem that's a woman's name
Sun, 23 May '21
Birthstone for Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez