| COOKSON | Catherine ?, author of novels The Gillyvors and The Invitation |
| GOINGTO | On the brink of accepting the invitation (5,2) |
| CATS | Musical that includes the song The Invitation To The Jellicle Ball (4) |
| PARR | Catherine ?, wife of Henry VIII from 1543-47 (4) |
| NDEREBA | Catherine ?, 2003 and 2007 World Championships marathon gold medallist (7) |
| ONETWOTHREEKICK | Classic Xavier Cugat song ... or a hint to the invitation in the circled letters |
| CARDS | The characters issuing the invitation? (5) |
| COMEDOWN | The invitation from the south is a humiliation (4-4) |
| COME | Going to the house myself with the invitation (4) |
| NATHALIE | _ Emmanuel, actress who starred in The Invitation and Megalopolis (8) |
| TATE | Catherine ?, comic actress who played Donna Noble in BBC TV series Doctor Who (4) |
| EARNSHAW | Catherine ?, protagonist in Emily Bronte novel Wuthering Heights who weds Edgar Linton (8) |
| OHARA | Catherine ?, actress who played Mickey Crabbe in 2003 film comedy A Mighty Wind (5) |
| ZETAJONES | Catherine ?, Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar winner for Chicago |
| EACHTOTHEIROWN | Takes all sorts to who? Catherine? (4,2,5,3) |
| STALIN | Soviet leader who declined the invitation for Soviet participation in the 1948 Games in London (6) |
| HOPIN | Chopin piece, the "Invitation to Ride"? (3,2) |
| TRITE | Like the invitation line "Be there or be square" |
| SNUB | Leave off the invitation list, say |
| OPTOUT | Decline the invitation to go around with leading player selling tickets illegally (3,3) |
