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two of you come up with the same method it will be assumed to be merely coincidental.
EFFECT:
The mentalist exhibits a completed crossword puzzle printed on an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper. It could be
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Robert E Cassidy
an actual copy of the one described in the above story, or one from the local newspaper.
The puzzle is initialed by members of a committee. On the reverse of the puzzle is taped a business card.
This is also initialed. The puzzle is folded and sealed in an envelope. This, too, is initialed and kept by an
audience member. The committee is instructed to safeguard the prediction until a specified date,
presumably the date of the performer's next show.
When the date arrives, the initials on the envelope are verified and the envelope is opened. The
signatures on the puzzle and the business card are also verified by the committee.
One of the committee members removes the business card from the back of the puzzle. On the reverse of
the card are indicated letters in the puzzle. For example, it might read like this:
4 DOWN- 3rd letter.
32 ACROSS- 2nd letter.
15 DOWN- 5th letter.
63 ACROSS- 1st letter.
etc etc-
A large copy of the puzzle is put on display so that the audience can witness the decoding of the
prediction for themselves.
As the letters corresponding to the prediction are determined, they are found to spell out the day's
headlines, horserace winner, or whatever.. The performer attributes this result to mere coincidence, much
to the audience's amusement.
METHOD:
This is the original method I used to accomplish the effect as described. I have since modified the
presentation and simplified the handling, but you might prefer my original approach. The alternate
method will follow.
At the outset the business card is not actually taped to the back of the puzzle. It has tape on it, but the
glue has been removed from the portions of the tape extending beyond the edges of the card. It is actually
held in place with a very small dot of wax or bluetak.
After the puzzle and card have been initialed (the card is held in position with the performer's thumb
while it is being initialed) the performer folds the puzzle and puts it into the envelope. During the folding
the card is palmed off by the right hand.
Later, the clues necessary to make the prediction work out is written on the back of the signed business
card. The protruding portions of the dummy tape are cut off and the fresh tape is put on the card. The
card is placed, with the tape sticky side up on a table located at the place of performance. This method is
intended for revelation of the prediction on a stage. The table is covered with a white cloth and from a
very short distance the card cannot be seen. In any event its presence will be masked through the bulk of
the performance by the mentalist's other props.
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The Compleat Principia Mentalia
During performance of the revelation the committee member holding the envelope is asked to stand. All
of the events leading up to the preparation of the prediction are revealed to the rest of the audience and
the committee all verify the procedures followed.
The performer asks for the envelope and takes it to each committee member so that they may each verify
their signatures. He returns to the stage with the prediction envelope held high.
Standing next to the table, the performer cuts open the envelope and removes the folded puzzle. He
unfolds it puzzle side to the audience and states that the puzzle itself has been signed by all of the
committee. The entire committee is requested to come to the stage. (It makes the effect look big.) As they
approach, the mentalist lays the puzzle atop the business card. While the committee members verify their
signatures, the performer will find it very easy to press down on the puzzle, thus affixing the card, under
the pretext of pointing out the signatures.
The rest is all presentation. The initialed card is now stuck to the back of the puzzle and contains the
correct information for deciphering the code into the desired prediction.
ALTERNATE PRESENTATION AND HANDLING:
Due to the fact that the business card is laid out on the table, my original presentation is not generally
suitable for an intimate audience. For that reason I devised the following.
All you need is a thumbtip and a stack of pay envelopes set up for a flapless envelope switch. While I've
described my use of the Shaxon envelope switch in previous books, all you need to do is have a business
card which has been folded into quarters placed in the second envelope- ie. the one on top of the stack
just below the flapless envelope.
When the prediction is first set up with the committee they are shown a business card and asked to sign
its face. The back of the card is not shown to the committee and they are told that it contains information
which cannot as yet be revealed to them.
After the card is signed, the mentalist folds it into quarters and places it into the flapless envelope. If the
Shaxon flap method is being used a committee member can put the card into the envelope himself.
The mentalist grasps the flap of the second envelope (containing the dummy card) and pulls it from the
stack, at the same time asking the committee members to sign the envelope.
The envelope, however, is not yet sealed. The performer now shows the crossword puzzle and has it
initialed. A committee member may fold it up and insert it into the envelope along with the card already
there. The envelope is now sealed. If desired, this envelope may now be sealed into yet another larger
envelope which is also signed. A committee member is asked to hold the envelope until the night of the
performance.
Fixing things so that the prediction comes out is now a simple matter, as the performer has the original
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Robert E Cassidy
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