Possible Clues:

• Grieving early in the day, we hear
• Sad time
• Sad that it sounds no more than twelve
• How sad that one sounds to have had the time for 7 down!
• Sounds bright and early, yet it's black
• Sounds early for the late
• It sounds early for 21 down to be in it
• The Guardian's name in China is black
• It's a sorry state of affairs when it's 17 across, by the sound of it
• Grieving