Idiosyncratic legerdemain blog.

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  • Notes on the Number Forcing Stack

    Franklin
    Category: ,

    Editor’s note: Now that we don’t have a schedule, I can do important things like schedule posts for the 7th day of the month. There’s a long history in magic of using a deck of cards to force a number by adding up the values of cards. A significant portion of this history is devoted…

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  • Conducting Trains and Bones

    Drew
    Category: ,

    This is an idea for those of you who use bone conduction devices. I always thought it was great that you could play your own audio file (on most if not all of the devices currently available). The stock audio preloaded onto the device was always some creepy robotic sounding voice. The script would usually…

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  • Decoding the Matrix Multi-Force

    Franklin
    Category:

    Update: We now have a post explaining how to make your very own multi-force matrix! “I’ve got something really special here. An old friend of mine just got in touch with me. She was fired from Coca-Cola after working there in top management for the last 30 years. She knows for sure that it was…

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  • Meeting of the Masterminds

    Drew
    Category:

    In the previous post, I wrote about my preferred way to mark Bicycle “end-for-end” or “misindexed” gimmicked decks. To be honest, I only use that specific marking system when I perform with the magnificent Mastermind deck, created by Chris Kenworthey. Familiarize yourself with this first if you’re unaware of its genius simplicity. I figured I’d…

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  • Double Blind Control, or Move Them With Your Mouth

    Drew
    Category:

    In one of his projects, Peter Turner told a story about someone complaining that an effect was not “angle proof”. He said to the person: “Well, tell them to move then! Just move them with your mouth.” I found that amusing but also profound. I have since endeavored to look for potential weaknesses in my…

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  • The Stripper Fakes A Breather

    Jerry
    Category:

    “Pick a card, any card.” She does just that. I move the deck from one hand to the other, rotating it 180 degrees as I do so. “Put it back, and give these a shuffle.” She does, and gives the deck an overhand shuffle like she always does. “Set the cards down now, and give…

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  • Prisoners Passing the Pat Downs

    Drew
    Category: ,

    The vanishing red silk is a classic effect in magic. We’ve all been giddy after getting away with using that ugly plastic thumb for the first time. (Try reading that sentence out loud and out of context.) This presentation gets rid of the silk and justifies the vanish of the item, the item itself, and…

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  • Banachek’s Salad: Eggplant Is the New Broccoli

    Drew
    Category: ,

    I’ve always enjoyed the psychological force of a carrot over the other forces Banachek has written about. The carrot force in its basic form is described in his Psychological Subtleties 1. What I’ve always liked about it in particular is that a carrot does not appear to be the classic archetype of a vegetable.  What…

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  • Taking a Peek to the Cinemas

    Drew
    Category: , ,

    I want to tell you a handy ruse that will get you a key card under intense heat. It’s motivated, and seems to serve the purpose of making the demonstration even more fair. I came up with it on the spot when I was under pressure. Before we get into the ruse itself, here’s the…

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  • Reader Mail #3: Calm Goat Hive

    Jerry
    Category: ,

    Email us at themagicoval@themagicoval.com, or email jerry@themagicoval.com / drew@themagicoval.com to reach Jerry and Drew respectively. Everyone we’re featuring emailed Jerry this time around, but all of your emails were appreciated. “Not post comments, those are still disabled.” Why? Just curious.-IM It’s a good question, to be sure! I hope you don’t mind if my response…

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