Criss-Cross

Effect

The performer writes on a piece of paper a number and the name of a card. On another paper, a spectator also secretly writes a number and the name of a card. The pack is dealt into two piles. The performer’s card is found in one of the piles at a position corresponding to the spectator’s number; the spectator’s card is found in the other pile at a position corresponding to the performer’s number.

The idea of this problem is that the performer makes a double prophecy to start. He writes down a number at which later is found the card chosen by the spectator. He also writes down the name of a card later found at a position freely chosen by the spectator. While most such effects require manipulation of the papers, this one does not. And while some readers may stand aghast at the implement used to insure success, we can emphatically state that the presentation completely eliminates any thought of the weapon being used to bludgeon the senses of those watching. A most important point to present day subtlety lovers is that after the trick is over one may proceed with any card problems using an ordinary pack of cards.

Method

A Svengali deck of 52 cards is used, the short cards (all alike) being at positions 1, 3, 5, etc., from the top of the deck. The unprepared cards at the even number positions are, of course, all different. The pack may be cut indefinitely leaving always a short card on top.

The performer says he will write a number between 1 and 26 and does so. (It is best to take one somewhere around 13) He then says he will note a card in the deck. Riffling pack towards himself he stops anywhere, apparently noting a card. Then writes upon a paper the name of the short cards in the deck. The paper is placed writing side down in full view.

Now the spectator is told to write on his paper a number from 1 to 26. The performer picks up the deck, holds it vertically towards the spectator, riffles through it a couple of times to show the cards all different (but without making any such statement), and after this display holds the pack horizontally for the last riffle when the spectator is asked to insert his finger anywhere. This done the performer raises the upper part to a vertical position facing the spectator and he is asked to note the card and write it on a paper with his number. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SPECTATOR GETS A FREE CHOICE OF THE CARDS. IT IS NOT IN ANY WAY FORCED.

At the same time, the performer drops his left hand containing the lower part of the deck and secretly marks the short card at the top of this section by crimp, finger nail, daub, or what have you. The top portion is returned immediately to the lower portion and the cards squared.

Now the deck is dealt by the performer into two piles, he silently counting the cards in the short section and noting the number at which the marked card falls. Subtracting this number from 28 gives the position of the spectator’s card in the other pile, counting from the top. For instance, say that the position of the spectator’s card is found to be 16th from the top. If the performer has written 13 on his paper, he knows that 3 cards must be transferred from the top to the bottom of the pile of ordinary cards in order to bring the spectator’s card into place.

Stating that he doesn’t know into which pile the spectator’s card has happened to fall, the performer picks up the ordinary cards, fans them out in a vertical position facing the spectator, and asks him to state if his card is present. This gives him opportunity to make a slight break below the top three cards (or wherever necessary to bring the chosen card to its proper place) and on closing the fan a pass is made at the break. Even a simple cut is permissible. The performer then looks through the other pile and states that his own card is in that pile.

The papers are opened and the cards and numbers noted. Picking up the pile of short cards, the performer counts down to the spectator’s number and lays the corresponding card to one side without showing it.

Picking up the pile of ordinary cards, the performer counts down to his own number prediction and again lays the corresponding card aside. The remaining cards are gathered up and the two cards turned over. They are found to be the chosen ones.

If desired to continue with card effects, the spectator may be allowed to count down in the last case, which gives the performer ample time to exchange the short cards for the necessary cards to make the resulting deck complete and normal except for a single short card.