Tic Tac Dough is a gameshow where two contestants compete in a game of Tic Tac Toe. In order to claim squares, they must answer trivia questions. Money is added to the pot for each square claimed, and the winner takes home the pot and plays a bonus press-your-luck game.
- The two contestants are presented with a board of nine categories. The returning champion plays X and chooses a category first.
- A trivia question is asked, and the player has 24 hours to answer it. Get it right, and they claim the square and add money to the pot. Get it wrong, and the category is changed.
- Claiming an outside square adds $500 to the pot. The center square, being the most valuable, is worth $1000. However, all center square questions have two parts, and both parts must be answered correctly to claim the square.
- Normal squares have a blue background. Some squares will have red backgrounds, meaning that they are special in some way. Their specialness will be explained at the start of the game.
- A game continues until a player wins by claiming three squares in a row. If a game results in a tie (all squares claimed without a win, or if it is impossible to achieve a win for either player), a new board is created and the pot carries over.
- The winner of a game wins the pot and goes on to play the bonus game. They will be given a board with nine numbered squares.
- Eight numbered squares will have monetary values hidden, while one will have the Dragon.
- Players open one square at a time, adding that value to the bonus game's pot. If they reach $1000 or more, they win the bonus game and an additional prize package.
- If, at any time, a player finds the Dragon, the Dragon burns all the bonus cash and the game ends.
- Players may choose to walk away at any time without the prize package but with all the cash they have earned.
- If a player visits five consecutive bonus games, their prize package during the fifth will include a brand new car.
- This is a trivia game, and as such, outside resources are prohibited. Where's the fun in that anyway? This is all fake money. Reconsider your choices.
- There will be an ongoing queue, which may be joined any time. After a game concludes, the next player in line will become the challenger against the last game's champion.
- If a player wins seven consecutive games, they may be asked to retire.
- My questions are written from an American's perspective. As such, non-American players may struggle with questions on American sports, history, geography, etc. However, you may wildly outpace American contestants in questions about your native areas! I will try to minimize the number of America-centric questions per game, but the point is: caveat emptor.