ON THE HOUR
Credit: Boston Globe Crossword
Henry Hook  (#1-3)

Each clue below can be answered with an expression involving time.

1. Nursery rhyme academic
2. Beginning of a beard, for some
3. Early report on day's events
4. At the last moment, just before it is too late
5. Discounted drinks and snacks
6. Heavy traffic period
7. When the mouse ran down
8. Classic Western with Gary Cooper
9. Midnight
10. Two, three, and four in the morning
11. Traditional office hours
12. Bankers' hours, once
13. What we're all entitled to, according to Andy Warhol
14. Just before dawn
15. Crucial moment, as when an attack must begin
16. National Football League alert

Answers:

1. Ten o'clock scholar
2. Five o'clock shadow 
3. Six o'clock news
4. Eleventh hour
5. Happy hour
6. Rush hour
7. One o'clock
8. High Noon
9. Witching hour
10. Wee hours
11. Nine to Five
12. Ten to Three
13. Fifteen minutes of fame
14. Darkest hour
15. Zero hour 
16. Two-minute warning