The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word DUSKS
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
D
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S
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "the early evenings" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case the early evenings = dusks.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DUSKS mean?
DUSKS noun- A period of time at the end of day when the sun is below the horizon but before the full onset of night, especially the darker part of twilight.
- A darkish colour.