One of Carmen Sandiego's many henchmen has stolen a rare cultural object. The Acme Crime Detective Agency hires three gumshoes (contestants) to find the crook and recover the loot. The gumshoe who captures the crook is then given the chance to locate and capture Carmen Sandiego by locating countries on a large map of a continent placed on the floor. The host, The Chief, and a variety of other guests help the gumshoes by supplying clues. A cappella music is performed at the beginning of the show, between game segments, and at the end by Rockapella.