Using a pack of playing cards, a spectator cuts them and deals off twelve. From these he selects one which is promptly shuffled back with the remaining eleven. Then the spectator writes the name of his selected card on a piece of paper and pockets.

The performer arranges the twelve cards in a circle to represent a clock dial, indicating the one o’clock position. All cards are face down. If included in a regular performance, it might be as well to have a clock dial drawn on a square of cardboard.

A second spectator cuts the remainder of the deck, removes two cards and totals their values, counting Jack as 11, Queen as 12, and King as 13. Commencing at number one (1 o’clock) he counts around the circle in a clockwise direction to the total of the two cards and discards the card at that number. Starting with the next card to the one just discarded, he again counts around and discards the card reached by the same number. He continues in this manner until all of the cards are discarded but one.

The first spectator reads the name of the chosen card he put on paper. The second spectator turns over the last card on the clock dial. They are the same!

This is one of those nice parlor or club oddities that almost works itself. The deck used is one with a reversible back pattern, all of which are arranged one way. Two aces are discarded and the 50 remaining cards set up by values only so that any two cards together from any spot will total either 14 or 15. (7-8-6-9-5-10-4-J-3-Q-2-K-A-K-2-Q-3 etc.) This makes an endless chain so that the deck may be cut.

First have the spectator cut the deck and deal off 12 cards from the top. Lay the remainder of the deck aside as is. The performer shuffles the 12 overhand so as not to disarrange the one-way back set up, and the spectator selects anyone, notes it down, and returns it to the deck which the performer has considerately (for himself) turned end for end. The 12 are again shuffled by the spectator if he does it overhand.

The performer now lays them out face down on the clock dial, it only being necessary that the reversed card be spotted in position 1 or 1 o’clock.

The second spectator is asked to cut the deck at any spot and take two cards. He totals them, it being either 14 or 15 as you know. If 14 you ask him to start at 1 o’clock and when he finishes counting to that total toss out the NEXT card, starting the count over with the card immediately following the one discarded. If the total is 15, ask him to count around and each time toss out the card stopped on, the 15th. Either way the result is the same and automatic. The count will continue until there is but one left. That will be the card at the original 1 o’clock position – the chosen card!

There are two subtle points in this. The performer apparently cannot know what or where the selected card is. And the total reached for counting is apparently reached by pure chance. The one-way principle may be discarded if the operator wishes to locate the card among the twelve by other means. The reverse back method though is especially clean.