A History of Short Words

From the New York Times Crossword Puzzle

WAS

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