Historical clue formulations

• "___ just so happens ..." — 2021-09-22
• "___ happens ..." — 2021-01-16
• Such ___ is — 2015-02-20
• "___ happens ..." — 2015-01-25
• ___ were — 2012-02-22
• ___ were — 2011-05-05
• "___ happens ..." — 2010-09-28
• ___ were — 2010-06-03
• With 41-Down, seemingly — 2009-06-15
• ___ were — 2008-12-25
• "___ happens ..." — 2008-09-13
• "___ stands ..." — 2008-04-15
• "___ were ..." — 2007-04-18
• ___ were — 2006-06-25
• ___ stands — 2006-06-10
• ___ were — 2004-10-27
• Word before "were" — 2004-08-01
• ___ were — 2001-08-15
• ___ were — 2001-03-16
• ___ were (so to speak) — 2000-10-03
• "...___ is in heaven": Matthew — 2000-04-08
• ___ were (seemingly) — 2000-01-10
• Just ___ should be — 1999-12-09
• "Be that ___ may..." — 1999-10-03
• ___ were — 1998-07-05
• ___ were — 1998-06-27
• "___ happens..." — 1998-04-12
• ___ were — 1998-01-09
• "___ happens..." — 1997-12-05
• "___ was in the beginning..." — 1997-08-04
• "Play it ___ lays" — 1997-02-24
• "___ was in the beginning..." — 1997-01-30
• ___ were — 1996-12-29
• ___were — 1996-05-19
• ___were — 1996-03-29
• _____ were (so to speak) — 1995-04-09
• _____ happens — 1994-12-08
• _____ happened — 1994-01-28
• _____ were (so to speak) — 1994-01-10
• Didion's "Play It _____ Lays" — 1993-12-10