Historical clue formulations

• Early round in a competition, informally — 2024-05-14
• Heat — 2018-08-25
• Heat — 2017-08-27
• Qualifying match, informally — 2016-09-06
• Early tournament match, informally — 2015-09-07
• Qualifier — 2013-10-27
• Early round — 2013-07-28
• Event before the main event — 2011-06-21
• Heat, for short — 2009-11-28
• Qualifying round, informally — 2007-10-28
• Early game in a tournament — 2002-02-18
• Early round — 1999-05-25
• Early round — 1995-07-30
• Heat, of a sort — 1994-05-08