(They) used to be (4)

I believe the answer is:

were

(Other definitions for were that I've seen before include "SECOND PART OF 9" , "Existed in the past" , "(We/you) existed" , "Lycanthrope" , "Used to be" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun and The Telegraph.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.