The Hollywood Squares was an American television comedy and game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win money and prizes. The "board" for the game is actually a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by an entertainer (or "star") seated at a desk and facing the contestants. The stars are asked questions and the contestants judge the veracity of their answers in order to win the game.

Although The Hollywood Squares was a legitimate game show, the game largely acted as the background for the show's comedy. The show was "scripted" in the sense that the panel of celebrities knew the questions in advance and were provided with answers and suggestions for bluffs and jokes (Zingers). Typically, a star's first answer to a question was a humorous one (or at least an attempt at a humorous one). This was then followed by the true answer or bluff. It had to be stressed that this did not mean the actual gameplay was scripted or predetermined, as the onus was still on the contestant to determine whether or not the provided answer to a question was the correct one.

An updated version of the classic game show, hosted by John Davidson. Celebrities, seated in squares in a tic-tac-toe arrangement, would give their answers to questions on various subjects. The contestants would then have to guess whether or not a celebrity's answer was right. Contestants guessing correctly would gain control of the square. Gaining control of three squares in a row would win the game. Written by Jean-Marc Rocher

Updated version of the classic game show of Star bluffs (Zingers) and tick-tack-toe. But this time hosted by John Davidson. As before, the object was to win a standard game of tick-tack-toe by correctly agreeing or disagreeing with a star's answer to a question (The Directions are Across, Up & Down & Diagonally.) The 9 Stars were seated in a 3 X 3 tier (a la tick-tack-toe board); they were joined by 2 contestants--1 a returning champion (one competing as the "X" for Men & the other "O" for Women). The contestant chose a star on the square for which host Davidson read a general knowledge question. Correctly agreeing or disagreeing allowed that player to place their "Xs" & "Os" in that box; an incorrect answer meant the opponent's "Xs" & "Os" was placed there, unless it led to tic-tack-toe in which case the opposing contestant had to earn the box. During the 2nd game of each show is a "Secret Square" game offered the contestants a bonus prize (usually a trip) for a correct answer. The (1st 2) games on each show were worth $500 and Later in Season 1 with future games worth $1000; if an undefined time limit expired during a game in progress, the contestants won $100 (Later $200) for their own marks after the "Car Horn" sounded. The contestant with the highest cash total when after the "Car Horn" sounded and that became the champion and advanced to the 5-car round. In the car round ("Car Starting or Not"), the contestant chose a key from among 5 in a crystal bowl in each which was keyed to start 1 of 5 cars (i.e.: Mazdas, Toyotas, Jeeps, etc.) on stage as well as 1 good luck celebrity for each day as he or she was champion (ergo: 1/5). If the car started after counting 1-2-3 and sounded "Vroom" and the contestant won the car and left undefeated with the celebrated Balloons dropped down during the "Winning Tune & Sounded Alarm Effect." If not as that teaser's sound "Pitcher's Got a Big Butt & Loser" and he/she returned on the next show where future wins meant increased odds in winning a car (ergo: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 & 1/1). Contestants competed until defeated or for up to 5 days (at which point they automatically won a new car and retired undefeated). In the 3rd & Last Season--The Championship Reign changed from 5 Days to forever that towards up to the day that car had started with a key as counted 1-2-3 and "Vroom!" Written by Ben Hallums