[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Jul 7 2004, 12:45 AM\'][quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Jul 6 2004, 12:00 PM\'] Topic is self descriptive. Do you think Cross-Wits could work today? Who would host? Would there be gameplay changes? [/quote]
No, I don't think the game would work today. Crossword puzzles mainly skew the over 54 crowd; demographics would be bad; and the show really wasn't that interesting.[/quote]
This is a case where the two different versions of the show went in totally different directions.
The original was on in the mid-70s, where "Squares" and "MG" were the hot shows. This version of "CW" had an influence from "Squares" by giving the celebs scripted joke answers. Even if most of them were lame, the joke answers, along with the tendency of the clues to be more tongue-in-cheek and Jack Clark's tendency not to take things too seriously made it more of a comedy show (and on many days Clark carried the show more than you'd think).
For the revival, it was decided to play the game more straightforward--the clues were less jokey and the celebs weren't fed joke answers. Considering that Jerry Payne, the show's creator, was involved with this version all throughout indicates that this may've been how he envisioned the show. However, all of that combined with the mummified presence of David Sparks (who was and is a seemingly nice guy, just a stiff host) made the revival less entertaining.
If they revived the show, it would have to be played more for comedy in the material and perhaps with fed answers--but they'd have to find someone as loose, witty and easy-going as Jack Clark--and I don't know who's out there who could fit the bill.