The term 'TIME OF MARCH MADNESS' refers to the annual NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, which is held in MARCH. The tournament is a single-elimination competition that involves 68 college basketball teams from across the United States. The tournament culminates in the Final Four, which is the last four teams standing. The crossword solution for this term is 'IDES', which is an abbreviation for the 15th day of the month in the Roman calendar. This day typically falls in the middle of MARCH, which is when the tournament takes place.