Trick #11
Magic Question-Answering Pendulum
The pendulum answers questions "Yes" or "No" by how
it swings, even when held by a volunteer!
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REQUIREMENTS: A pendulum, which is practically any kind of
weight suspended from any kind of string. If you have a crystal hanging
on a silver chain, this will do perfectly. You can also use any kind of
bead, or a fishing weight, or even a hardware washer, and tie whatever
kind of weight you come up with to the end of a string. It's a pendulum!
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Hold the pendulum yourself, or have someone else
hold it. Have whomever is holding the pedulum ask a question, and
without their doing anything, the pendulum will begin to swing! It will
swing in a straight line for "Yes" (Figure 1), and in a circle for "No"
(Figure 2).
Even if you challenge the
person to hold the pendulum still, no matter how hard they try to keep it
steady it will continue to answer every question! |
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This is practically real magic! The pendulum
historically has in fact been used as a divining tool, and nobody is
really able to explain exactly how it works. Most likely, it is the
subconscious effect of the thoughts of the person holding the pendulum's
string that influences the way it swings. Or not...
Trick #12
Burning Sugar
You can make sugar burn, but no one else can!
REQUIREMENTS: Several lumps of sugar, some cigarette ashes, matches or a
lighter.
In this age of granulated sugar substitutes,
and with the fortunate decline in the popularity of smoking, both
lump sugar and cigarette ashes are becoming less common items. Not
that this won't work with granulated real sugar, but it is more impressive
with lump.
If you have access to both items, you can
perform a scientific magic trick that has become nothing short of a
classic!
Normally, if you try to light sugar with a
flame, it may bubble and melt, but it won't actually catch fire. Unless
you know how.
Challenge the members of your audience to
light a cube of sugar, and pass out several cubes of sugar to them.
While they are attempting to get one of the sugar cubes to light, secretly
get some cigarette ash on your finger tips. Try to get as much as you can.
Have an audience member select a sugar cube,
and as you pick it up transfer the ash to the sugar cube. Now, hold a
flame to the portion of the cube with the ash on it, and it will light
easily!
Trick #13
The ABRACADABRA Card Trick
Here is a great card trick that has the advantage of being self-
working!
REQUIREMENTS: 21 random cards from any deck.
To perform the trick: Take 21 cards and
deal them out into three columns by dealing seven rows of three. Deal three cards across for the first row, then another card on top of each for the next row, and so on until you have seven rows of cards in three columns for a total of 21 cards. Make sure you deal out each of the rows so you can still see the cards behind it.
Now have someone think of any card in one of
the columns, and then tell you which column the card is in. Pick up one of
the other columns, then the column he chose, and then the last column, so that the column with the chosen card is between the other two.
Deal them out again the same as before, and have
your volunteer tell you which column the card is now in. Again, pick up the
cards so that the column he pointed to is between the other two.
Repeat the process of dealing out the cards,
having him tell you which column his card is now in, and picking up the cards so that the column with his card is between the other two columns. You have now done this three times, and it's time to find his card!
Hold the cards face down in your hand, as if
you were going to deal them out again, but instead ask your volunteer if
he has ever heard the magic word ABRACADABRA. Say that not many people
know it, but ABRACADABRA is a magic word for finding things, and that
you'll show him what you mean.
Spell the word ABRACADABRA, and for each letter
deal one of the cards face down on the table. When you reach the last "A",
pause, and then turn over that card. It will be the chosen card! As
long as you spell ABRACADABRA right, this trick will work everytime!
Trick #14
The Magnetic Knife
A common table knife magnetically clings to your hands!
REQUIREMENTS: One table knife.
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A magician should be able to perform magic
anywhere he goes! This one is good for the dinner table.
Interweave your fingers as in Figure 1,
but don't pick up the knife yet. When you interweave your fingers,
secretly leave the middle finger of one hand loose (Figure 2).
If you arrange your fingers right, no one
will be able to tell one finger is loose when looking at your hands from
the other side!
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Now, pick up a knife from the table by
secretly placing it behind the finger as shown, but hold your thumbs as
though they were keeping the knife in place.
Slowly, with a look of great concentration,
release your grip on the knife with your thumbs. It will seem as if the
knife is magnetically attached to your palms! After a few moments, drop the
knife, and allow the knife and your hands to be examined. It's magic!
Trick #15
Eleven Fingers
The art of magic oftens involves the seeming ability to defy the
laws of logic. With this stunt you can convince your friends that you
have eleven fingers!
Requirements: Ten Fingers
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Tell your friends that you have eleven fingers, and you can
prove it! Using your right forefinger to point with, touch each finger of
your left hand, counting "One, two, three, four, five". Then with your left
forefinger count the fingers on your right hand, "Six, seven, eight, nine,
ten".
Say "Funny, I know I had eleven. Let's try again". This time count
backwards, pointing to the fingers of the left hand say "Ten, nine,
eight, seven, six...". Then stop, hold up the right hand and say "Plus
five equals eleven!". Do this quickly, without pausing!
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