Science & Math Tricks

The best way of learning new things is doing them. Magical Experiments or Science in Play is a fascinating collection of kitchen table top experiments with every day household goods. Many of which have a 'magical' twist to them, in the sense that it is for the unfamiliar observer not quite clear how these tricks are performed, or what the physical mechanisms behind them are. More than 150 experiments are described with gorgeous lithographs. This book was originally written in French and later translated to English. This in itself is a proof of quality, otherwise the translation would not have...

A new method to quickly and secretly arrange cards from a small pack all the way to a full deck. No math needed unless you want to understand why it works.

Within magic, no mind approaches Bob Farmer's. Outside magic, Machiavelli came close. The evidence is presented in "The Bammo Tarodiction Toolbox." - Stephen Minch

Bob Farmer's Bammo Tarodiction Toolbox is both a great trick and a genuinely new method for secretly arranging cards quickly, accurately, and right in front of the spectators' noses. - Matthew Field

About what you'd expect from the guy who invented that stupid little hand trick. -...

Six poker chips, bearing the numbers 0 to ten are examined and mixed by a spectator. The spectator lays them on a table with no interference from the mentalist. While the performer's back is turned, the spectator turns over some chips. Three more are turned over and covered with a playing card, business card, or beer coaster. The performer turns around and, with no false moves or skulduggery, announces the total of the chips beneath the cards. It's that clean. And, surprisingly, it can be instantly repeated, with a different result.

Just the thing for parties, get-togethers, and bars, while...

An entertaining monte effect where the spectator, not the performer, switches the positions of the cards (which may be borrowed).

Here's another mental stunner by Bob Hummer and it's one of the most baffling he's ever released. Briefly, it can be done with any deck, and only three cards are used - any three cards. The performer does not switch the cards around, as in the regular monte. It's the spectator who mixes the position of the cards - while the performer's back is turned. After the cards are mixed as much as desired, the spectator peeks at one card, remembers it, and then makes a...

Bruce Carlley is going to show you a number of games that the magician or gambler plays against a spectator one on one. The spectator gets a free choice of the objects that are used in the gambling game. (Some games use cards, dice, pieces of paper, spinners, etc.) For example, say the spectator has a choice of four dice. Spectator picks one die and the magician picks one die. Each rolls their die, and the high number wins. Whoever wins a best of 12 game match wins the game. Unfortunately for the spectator, the magician will almost always win the match. The probability will ALWAYS be in the...

"I've been doing magic 40 years, and this may be one of my five favorite tricks. Excellent thinking. Hard to top." - Clyde Hayre, US.

A spectator is asked to throw three fair dice (this is an absolute fair throw, or even just a mental throw - no force here). From the number fairly thrown you construct a perfect magic square. For a kicker the cards are put together and the face of a King of Hearts appears.

There is no palming of cards or exchanging of decks or anything like it. You work with 16 cards and 16 cards only without any sleight-of-hand.

You get 16 specially printed cards...

"I've been doing magic 40 years, and this may be one of my five favorite tricks. Excellent thinking. Hard to top." - Clyde Hayre, US.

LOVE IT! I've been looking for a trick to help promote my business and this is perfect as I trade under the name "That's Magic" - Barry Harvey, UK.

You get 16 specially...

I rarely get to work on my own creations these days. 911 Summing is one of those rare occasions. It is an effect and method I have created more than 20 years ago. Both the effect and the method are to the best of my knowledge completely new and have never been published before.

This is a math effect I have had a lot of fun with. It can even be performed as puzzle challenge rather than a magic effect. I have performed this for people twice as smart as myself - engineers, scientists, researchers, professors - you name it. Not once has anybody figured out how it is done, even though, the principle...

With contributions by Werner Miller, Max Maven and Shigeo Futagawa.

The day was March 6th 2011 when Werner Miller sent me his Da Capo 3 and Da Capo 4 ebooks. Whenever I receive something from Werner I make time to read it. He has a knack to incorporate new twists and takes, or entirely new principles which stimulate my own grey cells.

Browsing Da Capo 3 I stumbled on an unusual effect which Werner titled "Pointing the Way". It was first published in 2001 in Club 71. This effect consisted of two parts. One was a printing effect where blank cards were shown, which later had arrows printed on them. This part of the effect was nothing special, the usual...

A spectator populates a row of a 4x4 square with any four numbers. You fill out the remaining 12 squares in seconds to construct a magic square. Does not require any math.

This has become my favorite impromptu magic square effect, because it is easier than a classic magic square - there is literally no math, unless you consider counting up or down by one math - and it produces a stronger effect with spectators. Thus a win-win all around.

The effect: Take any piece of paper, for example the backside of a restaurant receipt, and draw an empty 4x4 square. Then ask a spectator to fill in any...

"I just got this today, it's great! Sometimes, the simple tricks are the best. I've already shown it to some people, and it really DOES get a big laugh. Thanks!" - Dave D.

This is an impressive prediction. It has fried the minds of lay people and fooled almost every magician or mentalist, I have shown this to. Many magician's say they can't fool their wives. I guarantee this is one effect she will be totally baffled by. This effect is so amazing, that you will fool yourself each time you do it wondering how such a thing is possible. Yet the effect is completely self-working with no skill or sleights.

EFFECT: Using a borrowed deck (if desired) the mentalist instructs a spectator to deal a poker hand consisting of a straight hand in a horizontal row. For example;...

The date 1514 A.D. means something to you? It's possible to construct lightning-fast a magic square on the backside of a business card and hand it out as giveaway. This is by far the best ebook on magic squares for the mental entertainer. Melencolia I - Magic Squares for the Mental Entertainer becomes a modern classic. It is without a doubt an essential work in this field of mentalism on mostly unknown, smart and unforgettable methods for 4x4, 5x5 and 6x6 Magic Squares.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Part I - Dürer-type magic square
  1. Construction of the Dürer magic square

Providing the weekday for a given date has never been easier. Day For Any Date for the Million selects ideas from different methods to achieve a synthesis that renders a difficult process absolutely simple. The inclusion of a prop that can be accommodated on the back of a business card does away with the cumbersome and numerous steps that were usually necessary.

"The Day For Any Date is a classic effect that warrants the best methods available. Federico provides them with an innovative prop and clear instructions on how to succeed with accuracy, quickness and ease. The result is a comfort...

Amusing Experiments in Physics, Chemistry and Geometry

The title is a little bit misleading, because there are no real magic tricks in this book, at least not the kind that a magician would assume. It is essentially a book of 'kitchen' science experiments. Some of these experiments can of course be presented like a magic trick. But the majority of them are simply interesting or surprising science experiments which can be done at home with a little bit of preparation.

From the preface:

This is the second in the series "print and perform". In this series you have not only the instructions for the tricks but also the templates to print and perform the effects.

EFFECT : You show an envelope containing a "prediction" and give it to hold to someone. A spectator is given a pocket calculator (… or he can use the one on his cellphone…). He freely chooses a 3 digit number and then is told to make some simple calculations arriving at a random total. At this point you take the envelope with the prediction, open it and extract a sheet of clear plastic with your prediction printed...

Proof is a collection of strange mathematical proofs where you can show, convincingly, that things are not always what they seem. To most people, the idea that 'minus one' is equal to 'one' might sound barmy, or that Pi=2, or 4, or that 4=5, but that is what you will be able to prove with this video.

Ian has been using some of these diversions for well over thirty years, and he can attest to how much fun they are to demonstrate. They are not 'performance pieces' - by that he means that they would not fit into a traditional magic show, but as an impromptu moment of strange, they are perfect....

A proposition bet is one which appears to give the taker an even chance and at times the best of it, but does just the opposite. Like con men, proposition gamblers pretend to be pleasant, friendly, easy-going, good fellows who would never think of double-crossing anyone. They also usually pretend that their prepared proposition bets are something they just happened to think up on the spot. They take great pleasure in beating seasoned gamblers; money is not the main objective. It's the prestige and self-satisfaction they derive from having outsmarted a top gambler, be he friend or foe.

While...

Find any card a spectator takes from a borrowed and shuffled pack.

EFFECT: The magician tells his audience he has trained his mind to work like a computer. To demonstrate its computer-like capabilities, he asks a spectator to shuffle a pack of cards then, without looking at it, remove one card and place it in his pocket. Taking back the pack, the performer runs through it quickly, then goes through it again even more quickly and pulls out one card which he places face down on the table. The spectator removes his card from his pocket and places it face-up alongside the magician's card, then...

Stage, parlor and impromptu scripts, handlings, and a spreadsheet calculator for the Magic Matrix. A devilishly clever was to force numbers.

"Ognib" is "Bingo" in reverse, is a method also known under the name "Magic Matrix" (see Martin Gardner).

A complete script, handling, and a spreadsheet calculator. Handlings included for stage, parlor and impromptu.

The magician shows a handful of printed numeric grids. The magician then has 4 spectators decide on one of the grids. Using the chosen grid, they then pick 4 numbers from the grid. The 4 numbers that were chosen - when added together - totals up...

When this idea popped into my head I could not wait to try it out. I had a show the very next day and put this routine in. It was a storming success. You will not find any new methods here, although the principles in use are very well hidden. What you will find is a concept and presentation that I think is VERY special.

Recently thoughts regarding my own act have turned to making the whole performance more of an experience for EVERYONE in the audience. Performers who use any Q&A routine know that one of the appeals of such a routine is that it is a "Macro" effect. In other words everyone...

Following on from the success of his Rubik Remembered DVD, this is Mark’s brand new ebook: Rubik Notes.

The Notes contain Mark’s full solution for Rubik’s Cube (His version of the Layer Method, originally devised by Rubik-Guru David Singmaster. You can achieve solve times below one minute with this method.) and are fully colour-illustrated to make learning as direct as possible. The solution is completely self-contained and you don’t need to own the Rubik Remembered DVD or indeed anything else to learn to solve Rubik’s Cube – everything is right here in the Notes.

If however...

A spectator forms a five-figure number from freely chosen digits. The mentalist successfully divines the spectator's number.

"some very clever thinking" - Banachek

• Completely impromptu!
• No force of digits or number.
• No complicated calculations or difficult memory work.
• No props or gimmicks - just pen and paper.
• No peeks necessary.
• Works every time.
• Can be performed over the phone.
• Clever mathematical principle.
• Concept can be used to develop other routines.
• Includes a browser App (for computer, tablet or smartphone) which guides you through the process (no memory of calculation...

Mostly Perfect is an instant 4x4 magic square presentation for any named total that simplifies the computational method originally developed by Orville Meyer (and which has also been published by Mark Farrar, Bill Fritz and Harry Lorayne, among others). Mostly Perfect also produces even more balanced and elegant squares than those produced by the Meyer method.

The ebook also comes with a browser application (no Internet connection needed) to facilitate learning of the method.

Download a free extract.

"Mostly Perfect creates the most well-balanced magic square I've ever seen ... And it's not even hard to do ......

In this sequel to his 2011 ebook Mostly Perfect, Michael Daniels presents a new 'Instant Magic Square' method that makes the effect even easier to perform.

Effect

Performer instantly creates a 4x4 Magic Square for any total freely chosen by the spectator. The total can be obtained from the magic square in at least 36 different ways.

• Completely impromptu. No set-up, gimmicks, or cribs.
• New, improved method - minimal memory and the simplest of calculations.
• Suitable for close-up or stage performances.
• Produces elegant magic squares.
• Can be immediately repeated for different totals.
• Includes a...

Two ebooks on instant magic square effects for one low price.

From the introduction:

Orville Meyer, probably most famous for developing the bullet catch for Ted Annemann, demonstrates here his skill to routine amazing effects.

The stunt of forming a sixteen cell magic square that will add up to a number suggested by a spectator is a spectacular mathematical feat. Memorizing and repeating a list of objects named by members of the audience is an interesting and impressive mental demonstration. When you combine the formation of the sixteen cell magic square with the memorized list of objects, you really have something!

But we do not stop there! In this version, the double-barreled feat...

Geometry is one of the most logical human pursuits. Geometry can also be deceiving, and magicians use it to create the illusion of magic. This ebook discusses magic tricks based on geometric vanishes, also known as the Missing Square Puzzle. These magic tricks have recently become wildly popular with millions of views on YouTube.

These magic tricks evolved from a mathematical error to an apparent paradox. Magicians have added layers of deception to turn mathematics into a piece of theatre. This ebook discusses the history and principles of the three types of geometric vanishes:

• The Vanishing...

A university professor of mathematics takes on tricks based on math.

From the preface:

Over the course of nine weeks, Keven convinced Philemon to become his magical mentor. This ebook chronicles his journey into the world of mathematical magic; each effect presented in a story-telling manner. Philemon breathes a new life into these numerical classics by giving a reason for each excursion.

Originally conceived as a lecture for middle-school students in an attempt to foster a renewed interest in mathematics through the vehicle of magic, the routines include:

• My Favorite Playing Card
• Shopping Spree
• Masonic Numerology
• The Roots of All Equal
• Monday’s Child
• Red Letter Days ...

Mental mathematical magic

A slim book, yet it contains some of the most entertaining effects with numbers ever devised. An ebook devoted to an entirely different branch of magical entertainment that, prior to its release, had never been published before. This ebook opens up a new and unique field to any entertainer. Any person of average intelligence can perform the various effects. No apparatus necessary, except for a blackboard, white board or flip chart and a writing utensil. With this ebook, anyone can produce both laughter and surprise and create a riot at any evening party with the...

Leonardo Pisano known as Fibonacci (Pisa, ~ September 1170 - Pisa, ~1242) was an Italian mathematician, and is known above all for the sequence of numbers identified by him and known, in fact, as the "Fibonacci sequence" - 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 ... - in each term, apart from the first two, is the sum of the two preceding it.

A peculiarity of the Fibonacci sequence is that the ratio between the successive pairs of terms tends very rapidly to the number 1.61803 ..., known as the golden ratio or golden section. The applications are innumerable: in chemistry, botany, the human...

"Chance does not exist, and what seems to us casual springs from the deepest sources" (Friedrich Schiller).

Surely it has happened to you that a book or an advertisement gave you the answer to that doubt that was hammering you or you happened to call a person on the phone at the same moment in which he was calling you or to have had an unexpected meeting in an unexpected place or meeting just the person you needed at that exact moment. These are not randomness, but synchronicity, one of the most enigmatic and surprising aspects of this universe.

According to Carl Gustav Jung, the term...

This ebook describes how to make ten of the most interesting chemical reactions possible. From liquids that change colour as they are mixed, liquids that apparently read minds or have feelings, to spectacular glowing reactions. The explanations and science behind some reactions are also offered.

Contents

• Safety First
• Introduction
• Water - Ink - Wine: Water poured from a jug changes into different coloured liquids (water, ink and wine). These then change colour as they are mixed.
• The Blue-Bottle Reaction: Each time a sealed bottle of a clear, colourless liquid is shaken, the liquid changes...

An apparent demonstration of superior brain power.

Any number between 1 and 100 is cubed by a spectator, and the final result called aloud. The performer immediately extracts the cube root of this number without the use of electronics, stooges, or gimmicks. The calculation is performed immediately and entirely in the performer's mind, thanks to the secret master key.

This feat, performed on paper after a lengthy effort by a spectator, is considered quite an accomplishment, but performed instantly, it is a sensation. Performer knows only the number submitted by the spectator, and immediately...

The performer selects a participant from the audience (no stooges, no pre-show) who is asked to think of a significant date in his/her life (nothing is written down nor told to anyone).

The participant divides three numbers into the thought of date and the performer interprets the results as Pythagoras (the Father of Numerology) would have to reveal aspects of the participant's past, present, and future. Then, he surprises every one by revealing the thought of date!

This is one of several presentations described in this e-book, including one contributed by the Unknown Mentalist. The method is a sophisticated...