Historical clue formulations

• Start of a protest — 2026-07-24
• Word repeated in a fit of disbelief — 2026-06-27
• Slowly ___ surely — 2026-05-19
• Nevertheless — 2026-03-29
• Conjunction that might start an objection — 2025-08-11
• Merely — 2024-11-29
• Protester's word — 2024-04-21
• Signal for a change in direction? — 2023-12-29
• "___ of course!" — 2023-12-17
• Except — 2023-07-11
• "Close ___ no cigar" — 2019-02-25
• "However ..." — 2018-06-04
• See 55-Down — 2017-12-17
• Good-news-to-bad-news transition — 2017-09-13
• "___ how?" (words of disbelief) — 2017-01-12
• Waffle introducer? — 2016-09-13
• Start of a protest — 2015-12-04
• On the contrary — 2015-09-02
• Word after which a parent might interrupt a child — 2015-08-12
• "... 'twas ___ a dream of thee": Donne — 2015-07-21
• Exceptional start? — 2015-05-28
• See 26-Across — 2014-08-12
• Word of qualification — 2013-10-29
• "Nothing ___ net" — 2013-08-26
• Start of an excuse — 2012-10-25
• Nothing ___ the truth — 2012-05-28
• "That ... can't be ..." — 2011-11-13
• "However ..." — 2010-03-15
• With 57-Down, possible response to 20-, 31- or 39-Across — 2010-02-03
• Excuse maker's word — 2010-01-05
• Except — 2008-03-19
• "... and nothing ___" — 2007-06-11
• Except — 2007-02-19
• "___ no-o-o …" — 2005-05-22
• Except — 2004-12-06
• Except that — 2004-05-31
• Save — 2003-09-27
• "___ no-o-o ..." — 2003-04-06
• On the other hand — 2002-02-04
• Word preceding 20-Across — 1998-08-27
• On the other hand — 1995-05-09
• Exceptional word? — 1994-02-18