Years ago

ONCE

["Hint: \"At some point in the past, but not repeatedly.\"\n\nThis hint guides the solver toward the idea of a single past occurrence without directly stating \"one time\" or \"once.\" It keeps the temporal focus while making the answer more accessible."]

The clue **"Years ago"** leads to the answer **"ONCE"** through a straightforward yet clever play on the meaning of the word. - **"Once"** can mean **"one time in the past"** (e.g., "I met him once years ago"), which directly aligns with the idea of something happening in the past ("years ago"). - Additionally, **"once"** can be interpreted as a single occurrence in history, reinforcing the temporal aspect of the clue. There is no complex wordplay or pun here—just a simple, direct definition where the answer fits the clue's meaning perfectly. The brevity of the answer also makes it a common crossword solution for such a clue.