| COOKSON | Catherine, author of the novels The Gillyvors and The Invitation (7) |
| GOINGTO | On the brink of accepting the invitation (5,2) |
| LOVESTO | Is delighted by the invitation |
| CATS | Musical that includes the song The Invitation To The Jellicle Ball (4) |
| ONETWOTHREEKICK | Classic Xavier Cugat song ... or a hint to the invitation in the circled letters |
| 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) |
| CARDS | The characters issuing the invitation? (5) |
| 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" |
| OPTOUT | Decline the invitation to go around with leading player selling tickets illegally (3,3) |
| COMEBACK | Answer the invitation to return (4,4) |
| COMEHERE | Stick together, including me in the invitation (4,4) |
| ILLTIMED | Like the invitation that came when you had flu? |
| LATE | Showing up at 4:00 when the invitation said 3:00, say |
| CHURCHGOER | One who accepts the invitation to take a pew? (10) |
| TITAN | Giant opens the invitation to a nursery (5) |
| ISSET | "But the wedding date ___ ___." (The invitations are out, I simply can't call it off) |
