"then" used after "but"

Question

THEN adv

Used after but to qualify or balance a preceding statement

Idiom: then again
https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=then

Wiktionary has an entry for but then again as an "Alternative form of then again"
I do not understand what grammatical information the entry is trying to convey: but then is not an idiom as then again is, but still the definition says "used after but".

Dean F. · Answer

I would consider it so. Just because the phrase, “But then...” can be used as a stand alone statement following other declarative statements as a counterpoint to those statements. Usually, it is used as an abbreviated statement when the entire statement is implied. For example, “I thought he was smart. But, then...”

Answered by Dean F. on August 2, 2020

"then" used after "but"

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