Comment by o11c
The problem with þ is that it dates from a time when /ð/ vs /θ/ were allophones. That is, none of the minimal pairs I listed above existed (mostly due to more words having additional syllables - often, inflections at the end).
The problem with þ is that it dates from a time when /ð/ vs /θ/ were allophones. That is, none of the minimal pairs I listed above existed (mostly due to more words having additional syllables - often, inflections at the end).
"ð" was also a thing at that time, so we can bring them both back and use them to distinguish.