A History of Short Words

From the New York Times Crossword Puzzle

WAS

Tue, 6 Aug '24
Is no longer
Fri, 21 Jun '24
What might come between "that" and "that"
Thu, 25 Apr '24
Historian's verb
Mon, 18 Mar '24
"As I ___ saying ..."
Fri, 15 Mar '24
"And She ___" (Talking Heads hit)
Wed, 13 Mar '24
Played the role of
Thu, 22 Feb '24
"Time ___ …"
Sun, 29 Oct '23
"As It ___" (Harry Styles hit)
Wed, 2 Aug '23
Used to be
Thu, 27 Apr '23
Is no more
Mon, 17 Apr '23
Is, before
Tue, 4 Apr '23
Used to be
Thu, 23 Mar '23
Portrayed
Tue, 21 Feb '23
Third word in many limericks
Mon, 30 Jan '23
"A good time ___ had by all"
Tue, 15 Nov '22
"Hmm, where ___ I?"
Thu, 27 Oct '22
"That __ Then, This Is Now" (1971 S. E. Hinton novel)
Sun, 25 Sep '22
Word between "what" and "that"
Sun, 14 Aug '22
Were, for one?
Sun, 7 Aug '22
"Time ___ …"
Sun, 10 Jul '22
Second word of many a limerick
Mon, 28 Feb '22
The Beatles' "Till There ___ You"
Sun, 20 Feb '22
"Time ___ ..."
Wed, 10 Nov '21
Is, in hindsight
Thu, 26 Aug '21
Functioned as
Tue, 1 Jun '21
Third word in many limericks
Thu, 27 May '21
"How ___ it?"
Sun, 21 Mar '21
Word in obituaries