Historical clue formulations

• Essence of the matter — 2026-01-23
• Worn-down part — 2025-05-08
• Small lump — 2024-04-28
• Bump on a log, say — 2023-12-10
• Lump — 2023-04-28
• Gist — 2023-03-08
• Well-used pencil, say — 2022-08-25
• Central point — 2022-01-01
• Crux of the matter — 2021-05-23
• Pencil at the end of its life — 2020-05-19
• Pencil that's been much used — 2019-12-05
• Pencil after lots of crosswords, maybe? — 2018-12-26
• Worn-down pencil, e.g. — 2018-07-17
• Small protuberance — 2018-07-04
• Essence of an idea — 2017-06-18
• Gist — 2017-02-12
• Gist — 2015-04-05
• Heart — 2013-11-05
• Small lump — 2013-06-13
• Core — 2011-12-18
• Central point — 2010-08-22
• Heart — 2009-02-23
• Central point — 2007-02-05
• Center — 2006-04-09
• Gist — 2005-05-17
• Kernel — 2003-08-04
• One-inch pencil, say — 2003-01-22
• Gist — 2002-12-31
• Essence — 2002-11-25
• Gist — 2002-06-12
• Gist — 2001-06-28
• Gist — 2000-05-04
• Essence — 1999-08-01
• Kernel — 1999-01-06
• Core — 1998-11-04
• Heart — 1997-06-12
• Gist — 1996-09-01
• Crux — 1995-04-26
• Crux — 1994-10-30