Ralph Edwards was determined to get a show on the air about crossword puzzles. His first pilot, Crossword, with George Fenneman, wasn't picked up in the 60's. After a 2nd pilot, hosted by actor Bob Hastings (ex-McHale's Navy), wasn't picked up in 1971, Edwards went to the well again in 1975, and this time, the third time was the charm.
The Cross-Wits ran for five seasons (1975-80), with Jack Clark as host. Clark had previously replaced Hastings on another syndicated show, Dealer's Choice, and when Cross-Wits was on the air, Clark was also the original announcer on Wheel of Fortune during Chuck Woolery's run as host.
The format was simple. Two teams consisting of a contestant and 2 celebrity partners tried to solve puzzles for cash & prizes. In this sample episode, we have Jack Riley (The Bob Newhart Show) & Nipsey Russell going up against Rita Moreno (The Electric Company) and Misty Rowe (Hee Haw, ex-When Things Were Rotten).
The above video was posted by one of the contestants on the show.
The Cross-Wits returned a few years after cancellation, with David Sparks taking over as host. Unfortunately, it lasted just 1 season this time around.
The last time a crossword game show was mounted, Merv Griffin gave it a go and put his name to the show. However, after all the hype, Merv Griffin's Crosswords lasted just 1 season as well.
Rating for The Cross-Wits: A.
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