I have since found that we have a difference in the Number format set under Options. I have numbers set to 1234, he has 1234.56 If he resets to integer, he gets results too. But this report has to be distributed, so it has to work whichever way. Anyway, it works ok with the other two subreports, which are very similar. And the linking parameters are all primary to foreign keys, which are integer numbers.
This is actually distributed to work with a bought-in Oracle system which has a run-time version of Crystal embedded to run these reports I write. I cannot change anything in this system, so I have to get it right here.