December 31, notably

EVE

"Here’s a helpful hint for your crossword clue: "It precedes a new beginning, in short." This hint guides the solver toward the idea of "Eve" as a precursor (like New Year's Eve before the new year) while keeping it subtle and not giving away the answer directly."

The clue "December 31, notably" leads to the answer "EVE" through a combination of direct reference and wordplay. 1. Direct Reference: December 31 is widely known as New Year's Eve, making "Eve" a natural abbreviation for the day. 2.