Crosswits

Crosswits
Genre	Game show
Created by	Jerry Payne
Presented by	Barry Cryer (1985–86) Tom O'Connor (1987–98)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	12
No. of episodes	435
Production
Running time	30 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companies	Tyne Tees in association with Cove Productions and Action Time
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	3 September 1985 (1985-09-03) – 23 December 1998 (1998-12-23)
Related
The Cross-Wits (US version)

Crosswits is a British game show produced by Tyne Tees in association with Cove Productions and Action Time and filmed from their City Road studios in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was first shown on 3 September 1985 originally hosted by Barry Cryer for the first 2 series, then comedian Tom O'Connor took over from series 3 until the show ended on 23 December 1998. 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 Judi Lines, Jonathan Morrell and Bill Steel.

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 which 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. On the first two series, which had been transmitted weekly, the teams played for pounds. Later in the run, teams always took turns whether they were right or wrong.

There were also special rounds in the game:

• 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 small prize such as a cordless phone or a pocket TV.
• Song round - all clues were lyrics to a well-known song.

The team with the most points when time runs out, wins the game and 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'll win the holiday, otherwise the winning player wins consolation prizes.

Transmissions

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes	Host
1	3 September 1985	3 December 1985	13	Barry Cryer
2	6 January 1986	7 April 1986	13
3	27 October 1987	17 December 1987	24	Tom O'Connor
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

Regional transmissions information

1985–86

The first and second series aired on Tuesday afternoons at 3:00pm (no episode aired on 1 October 1985 due to live coverage of Snooker and no episode aired on 17 March 1987 due to live coverage of Budget '87) while the third series aired on Tuesday to Thursday afternoons at 2:00pm, except for TVS, who did move the days and time around.

1988–94

From the fourth series up until the tenth series, the show aired on Monday to Friday mornings at 9:25am, just after TV-am/GMTV had finished.

1996

The eleventh series aired on Monday to Friday afternoons, but was not networked. Depending on the region, it aired at random times in certain areas.

• Carlton, Central, Tyne Tees, Westcountry and Yorkshire aired the episodes at 1:25pm.
• Ulster aired the episodes at 1:55pm.
• Grampian aired the episodes at 2:50pm.
• Scottish aired the episodes at 2:20pm four times a week and took until 31 December 1996 to complete.
• Border and Granada aired the episodes at 5:10pm, but did not follow the same daily pattern and took until 31 December 1996 to complete.
• Anglia and Meridian aired the episodes on most days at 12:55pm. Anglia continued to broadcast more episodes, finishing on 24 January 1997.
• HTV aired over half the episodes at 2:25pm, but did not complete.

1998

The twelfth series aired on Tuesday to Thursday afternoons at 1:50pm for the first 32 episodes from 6 January to 19 March. The last 3 episodes were aired from 21 to 23 December 1998.

External links

• Crosswits at IMDb.
• Crosswits at BFI.
• Crosswits at UKGameshows.com.