Crosswits

This article is about the British game show. For the original American version, see The Cross-Wits.

Crosswits
Format	Game show
Created by	Jerry Payne
Starring	Barry Cryer (1985) Tom O'Connor (1987–1998)
Narrated by	Judi Lines Jonathan Morrell Bill Steel
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	12
Production
Producer(s)	Tyne Tees
Running time	30mins (inc. adverts)
Broadcast
Original channel	ITV
Picture format	4:3
Original run	27 April 1985 (1985-04-27) – 23 December 1998 (1998-12-23)

Crosswits is a British TV quiz show, originally hosted by Barry Cryer, then comedian Tom O'Connor took over until the show ended in 1998.

Produced by Tyne Tees Television from their City Road studios in Newcastle upon Tyne, Series 1 was only broadcast on Tyne Tees Television, series 2 onwards it was networked on the ITV. The show could most usually be found in the 9.25am slot just after TV-am/GMTV had finished, although in later years it was shown in the early afternoons, at around 1.30pm and, in some regions, the evening. The show consisted of two members of the public competing against each other to solve simple crossword puzzles. Each member of the public was helped out by a "celebrity" partner. The announcers for the show were generally Tyne Tees continuity announcers such as Bill Steel, Judi Lines and Jonathan Morrell.

Gameplay

Basically the game was the same as its American counterpart, except that there were two players (one celebrity and one contestant) on each team instead of three. As in the American version, teams took turns solving words in a crossword puzzle (by virtue of clues), all of them are clues to a master puzzle. Each correct answer keeps control and earns one point per letter in the answer plus a chance to solve the master puzzle for 10 bonus points. Later in the run, teams always took turns whether they were right or wrong.

There were also special rounds in the game:

• Song Round - all clues were lyrics to a well-known song.
• Anagram Round - the first letter of every clue word make a key word.
• Mystery Round - finding a keyword after one clue without assistance from a clue word wins the contestant a cordless phone.

The team with the most points when time runs out, wins the game & plays the same Crossfire round as the American version.

Crossfire round

The winning team was shown one last crossword puzzle, with 10 words none of which are clues to a master puzzle. The host reads rapid-fire clues to each of the 10 words. Each correct words brings the winning team extra closer to a holiday for the contestant, and if they can solve all ten in 60 seconds or less, they win the holiday, otherwise the winning player wins consolation prizes.

Transmissions

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	27 April 1985	??	??
2	6 January 1987	3 March 1987	8
3	27 October 1987	15 December 1987	8
4	25 April 1988	17 June 1988	40
5	15 May 1989	14 July 1989	45
6	9 April 1990	25 May 1990	35
7	29 April 1991	21 June 1991	40
8	13 April 1992	26 June 1992	55
9	17 May 1993	18 June 1993	25
10	4 April 1994	8 July 1994	70
11	21 October 1996	13 December 1996	40
12	6 January 1998	23 December 1998	35

External links

• Crosswits at the Internet Movie Database
• Crosswits at BFI
• Crosswits at UKGameshows.com