'Hole in the Wall' Explained

Hole in the Wall is based on a Japanese game show, which requires contestants to fit through holes in an advancing wall to earn prize money. Also called Human Tetris, the original Japanese version has become extremely popular on video sharing websites. The concept is extremely simple, with often hilarious results.

Two teams of three contestants each get dolled up in shiny metallic spandex, one team accented in red, the other in blue. Teams get to chose their own names, based on the contestants' relationship to one another.

Contestants stand in a small play area, while a giant Styrofoam wall approaches them on a rolling track. The wall has holes of various shapes and sizes cut out, and the object of the game is for contestants to contort their bodies so that they will fit through the holes. Failure to do so results in being pushed by the wall into a pool of water behind the play area.

Teams compete against each other for four rounds of play, with the winning team moving on to the final round. For each person who successfully gets through the wall, one point is scored for the team.

• Round One: One person, the team captain, from each team plays.
• Round Two: The other two people from each team play together.
• Round Three: All three team members play together.
• Speed Round: The wall approaches at double speed, and all three team members play.

During the speed round, points are doubled. If all three team members make it through the wall, the team gets a bonus of $5,000. At the end of this round the team with the most points wins $25,000 and moves on to the final round, and the chance to win $100,000. If the team scores are tied, each team plays the final round for the chance to win $50,000.

In each round of play, no points are scored if contestants are pushed into the pool, or if the wall becomes dislodged.