OTAUR

Half Bull, Half Magic

© COPYRIGHT1995 BY M A R V I N J. L E V E N T H A L & DANIEL D. H A R L A N V O L U M E 7 N U M B E R 1 / M A R C H 1995 / JS.OO

PRIME CUTS
ON THE COVER
Marc Paul & Anthony Owen's sug-
gestion for breaking the ice with mem-
bers of the opposite sex.

OZONE PAPERTEAR 3
Zelek Shadline's method for saving
the earth and preventing a severe sun-
burn at the same time.

SKIN CRAFT 5
Anthony Davis's cure for the com-
mon itch using a common table knife.

M A R C PAUL 6* A N T H O N Y OWEN'S
OUT OF THIS HOUSE 6
Anthony Owen's impromptu presen-

MATCHMAKER tation of the Out of this World card plot.

SO THAT'S HOW ITS DONE ?

DH: What have we here? A trick by two guys with only one of them
pictured next to it? Well, yes and no. True, there's only a picture of Marc Zelek Shadline's demonstration of
Paul to the left, but Anthony Owen also appears. That's him in the one of the oldest false explanations for
picture above (he's the one wearing the tall funny hat). If you're won- sleight of hand. Steve Beam eat your
dering why Anthony rates such special treatment, it's because he's the heart out.
keeper of The Dungeon. "And why is that such a big deal?" you may
ask. It's all explained in "From the Labyrinth" on the back page. Read it andfindout
STRIKING ART 9

why, but first, on with the magic at hand. Angelo Carbone's magical and artis-
tic talents make a drawing of a match
According to Marc and Anthony, Matchmaker was created as a "chatting-up" ef-
box function just like the real thing.
fect. In case you are not familiar with that expression, it's the polite way the English
say, "desperately trying to get a date." If you have tried all of your best pickup lines,
and you have very few other redeeming qualities, you may just be able to use this
MA.R.LO. in

little effect to win over the heart of your ideal companion. Then again, it may backfire Jon Allen's discussion of the differ-
miserably, and you may be left alone wandering through the cold heartless city, but ences between magic for magicians
at least you got to show someone a cool magic trick. And, as a bonus, you get to hold and magic in the real world.
your intended's hand, if only for a brief moment.
Presented properly, this could be an ideal affection getting little charmer, the per- FROM THE LABYRINTH
Anthony Owen's non-hostile take-
12

fect thing to help you get over those difficult icy first moments upon meeting that
special someone. However, you should take care to choose the correct moment to over of THE MINOTAUR continues
approach your "audience" with this intimate miracle. Obviously, you'll get a more with a self-interview in which he ex-
appropriate response when the lights are soft and low with romantic music playing plains what The Dungeon is all about.
in the background than you will on the bus during morning rush hour.
 Basically, you ask your newly-discovered perfect partner to sign her name on a
paper match (how about that for an original "chat-up" line?). Curious, she complies.
You sign your name on another match and tear both from the matchbook. You then
place her match in your closed fist and yours in your pocket. Fascinated, she watches.
Your match magically jumps back to join your partner's match in your hand, thus
proving the attraction of your two names. She is impressed. You continue by repeat-
ing your test in her hand. This time you place her match in her closed fist and yours
in your pocket. She is nervous. When she opens her hand, the two matches are seen
to have melded into one with her signature on one side and yours on the other, thus
proving that the two of you are a perfect match. She is yours!
Okay, that's only one scenario and individual results may vary, but then we're just
here to tell you how to do the sneaky stuff — the rest is up to you. Although you
apparently just pick up an innocent book of matches conveniently lying nearby,
actually you have cunningly prepared the matchbook in advance. You do this by
bending one of the matches forward without tearing it out of the book, signing your
name on the back©, and then bending it back to its previous position so that your
signature is hidden. Pretty sneaky, huh? Remember which match you signed or you'll
have a better chance with the opposite sex after eating a few cloves of garlic. Also,
remove and sign another match, which you place in your right pants pocket.
With this minor preparation out of the way, and with your most charming smile
and a slight glint in your eye, you approach your earthly angel. After some initial
small talk, such as, "Hey, I do magic. Wanna see something cool?" ask her to sign her
name onto the blank side of your pre-signed match while it is still in the matchbook.
This prevents her from turning the match over and discovering your signature, which
would not only ruin the effect, but also break your heart into a million tiny pieces.
When she has completed signing the match, compliment her on her remarkable
penmanship as you sign your name on the front of any of the other matches in the
book©. At this point, there are two important details that should be fairly obvious
to you. Make sure that you use the same pen that you used earlier and make sure this
signature looks identical to your hidden one. Now say something endearing like
"Two signatures, two matches," so it is clear that two separate matches have been
signed by two separate individuals. Then very carefully tear out both matches and
gently rest them on your palm up left hand, clearly displaying the two signatures©.
Insure that neither match turns over as you position them.
Casually place the matchbook in your right pants pocket. Then secretly pick up the
extra match so that it is hidden behind your right fingers as you close your left hand
into a loose fist, making sure again that you don't turn either match over. Now par-
tially open your left fingers, being careful to keep the matches concealed from your
audience's v i e w ® , and reach behind your curled left fingers with your right hand
and pretend to pick up your match. In reality, push the match hidden in your right
hand into view as your right hand moves away from your left hand © . Show your
name on the match and place it back in your pocket as you tightly close your left fist.
Explain that you sense that your two names are magically attracted. Now ham it
up a bit — talk about the power of this attraction overcoming the great distance
between the names. After sufficient pseudo-ritualistic mumbo-jumbo and appropri-
ate magical incantations, open your left fist to show both signed matches together
in your hand, a definite sign that nothing can separate them!
Ask your partner to hold her hand palm up as you mention that the power will even
work if she holds one of the matches. Gingerly place her signed match on her palm,
being careful not to reveal your signature hidden on its other side© (next page). Ask
her to close her fist. Show your signed match and place it in your right pants pocket,
really leaving it there. Then as you bring your hand out of your pocket, launch into
your evangelical bit again as you build this effect up to its dramatic conclusion. If you
should happen to attract a crowd doing this, don't forget to take up a collection.
Finally, ask her to open her hand and show both matches. Alas, when she opens
her hand, she will see only one, and the power will appear to have failed. Explain that
the power may have been even stronger than you suspected. Tell her to look closely
at the match, and she will see that the two matches have fused together as one with
a signature on each side. As you attempt to quiet her screams, point out that you
were obviously meant for each other. Then good luck on your first date!
Horning In: This could really be a truly charming introduction to someone as long
as you don't overdo it. One note — most matches are white on one side and grey or
brown on the other. If you both signed on the white side of your respective matches,
when they fused together, logically both sides of the fused match should be the same
color. To get around this, you could try to find some matches that are the same (or
nearly the same) color on both sides, but I don't think that's going to be easy. Alter-
natively, you might want to tear out a match and sign it on the back and then have
her sign one in the book before tearing it out. Personally, I don't think the color dis-
crepancy is anything to worry about, and if you don't, you could give your intended
a free choice of any match by secretly signing the back of all of them in advance.-^-

ZELEK SHADLINE'S

OZONE PAPERTEAR
DH: The appearance of this effect upon the pages of this recycled post-
consumer waste paper product, which we like to call THE MINOTAUR,
marks the first time in our extensive publishing history that we have
ever offered an effect from someone named Zelek. In fact, it is the first
time we have ever seen or heard the name Zelek. I just like saying it.
Zelek. Sounds pretty magical doesn't it? Let's all say it, shall we? Zelek.
I don't think Zelek will mind me having a little fun with his unusual name. After all,
it's not even his real name (see "About the Contributors" on page 11)!
Anyway, to get back to recycling, this paper tear of Zelek's has an environmentally
conscious theme that will fit right in with modern ideology. Plus, it's kinda neat! In
it, you have a spectator write her name on a piece of paper that has big letters spelling
out the word "OZONE" on it. As if an explanation was really necessary, you tell her
that it represents the ozone layer. You destroy it by tearing it into little pieces as you
talk about chlorofluorocarbons, methane emitting dairy cows, and other potential
dangers to the ozone layer. You then ask your spectator if she knows of any way in
which she can help protect the ozone layer. She responds affirmatively (with a little
coaching from you about switching to non-aerosol propellants).
You tell her, "Because you have taken responsibility for this replica of the ozone
layer, your commitment to its protection has worked, and it is completely unharmed."
As you say this, you open the paper to show that it is restored and still bears her
signature. If you wish, you can finish by telling your audience, "If each individual
makes a commitment to our environment, then all our problems can be solved al-
most as magically." You don't have to be a tree-huggin', sprout-eatin', tie-dyin' hip-
pie to appreciate the commercial value of such politically correct magic!
Although I like this presentation better than that of most torn and restored effects,
it's the method employed that I find most impressive. Only one strip of paper is used,
yet it is signed, visibly torn into little pieces, and when restored, has the same signa-
ture on it! Do you understand what I'm telling you? Is any of this getting through? Do
you expect me to ruin the mystery for you and just tell you how it's done? Uh.. .yeah,
I thought you'd say that. Okay then — here's the secret.
If you'll take a cursory glance at the first illustration© (turned on its side), you'll
begin to get a peaceful feeling as you reenter the familiar territory of "method." You
will see that the paper actually has an extra inverted "NE" written on it before the
word "OZONE," which allows the strip of paper to be rotated 180° and still read the
same. This is a property known as rotational symmetry (but you already knew that,
didn't you?). If you tear off either "NE" between the " 0 " and the " N " , the remaining
strip of paper will always read "OZONE." Note that the two "NE" sections of the strip
of paper are the same size as the "OZO" section. This will allow you to openly tear the
word in half and proceed to destroy it further, while retaining a complete copy of it.
 The illustration provided © (previous page) may be taken to a local copy shop and
copied or even enlarged for your use and enjoyment, but this in no way gives you the
right to copy the rest of the magazine and sell it to your friends for $2.00. Don't even
think about it! Make them buy it just like you did (you did buy it didn't you?). Once you
have copied it to a workable size foryou, fold back one of the "NE" sections©. That's
all the preparation there is. There are no sticky folded up packets or intricate origami
setups as with other paper tears. You are now all set to perform.
To do just that, show your ozone layer replica as you launch into your enviro-
patter. Ask a spectator to sign the paper, directing her to the slanted middle of the
letter "Z", which is right in the center of the section that will survive your forthcoming
mutilation. Since she is signing on a slant, it will be more difficult for her to remember
which direction her signature was going. This is good, because it will be facing the
other way at the conclusion. Once signed, fold the strip in half between the visible
" 0 " and " N " and tear it slowly, cleanly, and vertically in half into two sections©. This
tear must be as clean as possible, since you are creating a new edge for the restored
word. I suggest that you prefold the strip here to weaken the fibers a bit.
After clearly displaying both halves for a moment, place the torn off "NE" section,
lettering toward your audience, in front of the "OZO" section in readiness for a stan-
dard torn and restored ruse. Fold both pieces backwards, in half, creasing the papers
for the second tear©. Then instead of opening both sections back out to their pre-
vious position in order to tear through them at this crease, you only open out the
frontmost "NE" piece, keeping the "OZO" section folded in half behind i t © .
Tear through the "NE" at the crease, apparently tearing both pieces but actually
keeping the folded "OZO" packet unharmed©. Repeat this procedure by placing the
torn off pieces in front of the other pieces that hide the folded "OZO" packet, folding
again, and opening only the frontmost individual pieces, thus leaving the folded
packet behind unharmed again. Tear through the individual pieces again. Now re-
peat this procedure again and again. How long you continue this folding and tearing
procedure depends upon the size of your strip of paper, and the strength of your
fingers, but the final resulting "NE" pieces must be small enough to finger palm.
Show thatyou have a number of small bits of paper. Then square them all together,
finger palm off the torn bits, and dispose of them properly. A good way to do this is
to take back your pen used during the signing and place it into your pocket with the
"goods." All that remains for you to do is to make your remark about responsibility
and commitment as you unfold the strip of paper and give it to your new friend intact
with her signature still adorning the letter "Z." Then take your applause and go into
your multiplying bunnies routine to illustrate the dangers of toxic waste.
Horning In: This is a winner in so many respects. It's got a natural context and built
in justification for all actions, plus the method is truly sneaky. Finishing clean and
handing out the signed paper is as strong as it gets. If it hasn't occurred to you mar-
keting types yet, you can even have your business card information printed on the
back of the paper that is given out at the end.
I'd like to offer one suggestion about prefolding the entire strip that I've found
works rather well. After you fold back the inverted "NE," fold it over onto itself once
to conceal those letters © , then accordion pleat the entire strip ® . Then fold this
pleated strip in half twice. You will have a small packet that can be carried conve-
niently in your pocket, and when opened, the creases will help conceal the inverted
"NE" and keep it from unfolding®.
As I mentioned, the method is based on the use of letters with rotational symmetry
on the section that remains intact. The letters on the section that is destroyed can be
any ones. Note that the length of the word and number of unharmed letters does not
have to match Zelek's, and the rotationally symmetric letters can occur at the begin-
ning or end of the word. Sister, iglOO, NINety, afterNOON, and SINISter are examples.
The letters which have rotational symmetry are, "HINOSXZ," which is an even
stranger name than Zelek. However, you can also use words such as MOWer (since
an inverted M looks like a W). Some lowercase letters offer additional possibilities.
One last thing — when you perform this, please use recycled paper. Tp-
A N T H O N Y DAVIS'S

SKIN CRAFT
DH: Warning! The following effect will attract attention and create an
emotional response. That would be a good thing except that the atten-
tion will be in the form of raised eyebrows, and the emotional responses
will range from mild annoyance to shrieks of terror. Depending on how
you look at it, that may be a good thing. In essence, Skin Graft allows
you to visibly peel off a layer of your skin with a knife. This may not be
a classic of magic, but it sure can be a lot of fun. Do not attempt this if you prefer to
maintain your reputation as a serious magical artiste. This is a stunt, a gag — a sick,
demented, vile piece of disgusting humor — I love it!
Imagine you are at an elegant dinner party. You decide to provide a little after
dinner entertainment. During dessert you become fascinated with a particularly sharp
knife on the table. You gaze longingly at it and slowly a glazed look comes over you
as you start to handle it playfully©. You examine its sharp edge by the candlelight
in the floral centerpiece. Now that you have everyone's attention, you begin to poke
the knife against your arm. Slowly a bit of skin peels away from your forearm © .
Using the knife, you rip the layer of skin clear off as you comment, "Did you ever have
an itch that just wouldn't go away?" Nonchalantly resume eating your truffle.
Believe it or not, you too can be the life of the party if you simply visit the restroom
during the course of the meal. While in the restroom lay a single ply sheet of toilet
paper onto your forearm © . Then dampen the toilet paper until it becomes clear, but
no water drips from it. Unfortunately for you masochists, it is this paper that you
scrape off, not your real skin! You must soak the toilet paper and insure that it is
perfectly flat on your forearm to make it nearly invisible. Then scratch away the edges
to blend it in with your skin @ . Damp toilet paper is almost invisible if you use just
a single ply. Only have double ply available? Don't worry — splitting double ply into
two single plies is easier than splitting a playing card. However, do not use toilet
paper with a pattern on it, unless you plan to feign removing a tattoo.
Anthony Davis suggests placing the paper on your arm or the back of your hand,
but Anthony Owen has also tried it with just a small patch on his forehead and re-
ceived an equally pleasant response. Perhaps this looks worse to people, since they
know you cannot see what you are doing. In this case you may mention a slight
sunburn you received during that afternoon's round of golf. Then proceed to peel
your face off to their delight and amusement©. Regardless of where you place your
damp paper, try to keep it in one piece as you slowly peel it away from your skin. This
makes it look really creepy!
Homing In: If you want your audience to think you are completely mad, give Skin
Graft a try. As Anthony says, "A little practice and patience will make this effect a hoot
to watch and a delight to execute!" Anthony and THE MINOTAUR wish to make it
clear though that they accept no responsibility for any injuries arising from perform-
ing this effect. You only have to act like you are doing something stupid with a knife.
Don't really do something stupid with it. Also, any lawsuits arising from the trauma
caused to innocent bystanders are your own responsibility. THE MINOTAUR merely
provides this information as a public service.
Now here's an idea for all you magic junkies that won't try this "a-peeling" effect
without a trick to justify it. In the restroom, lay a half dollar in the classic palm posi-
tion of your right hand. Cover this with a square of toilet paper and dampen © . Tear
the edges to blend the paper in and palm the coin under the paper. Now, you have to
act somewhat quickly, because you have about a ten minute window of opportunity
before the paper dries out too much to be believable.
Go back to your table and show everyone another half dollar, being careful to keep
the damp, toilet paper-covered, palmed coin hidden. Place the visible half dollar
onto the table about six inches from the edge in readiness to lap. Open your left hand
palm up a little to the left of the coin. Apparently pick the coin up with your right hand,
but actually lap it in the time honored scooping fashion recommended by the Insti-
tute of Advanced Lapology ® . Mimic the actions of placing the coin into your left
hand with your right hand as you close your left hand around the space that would
have been occupied by the coin that is now resting on your lap beneath the table.
Make your magic gestures and then open your left hand to show that the coin is gone.
Immediately offer an explanation. "The coin isn't really gone, it's just hidden in the
folds of my flesh. You see, magicians have pockets in the palms of our hands that
allow us to hide objects like coins and cards. See?" Show everyone your outstretched
palm up right hand, then openly start picking apart the paper above the coin. Do this
slowly as you apparently rip the coin through a layer of your skin to retrieve it (8). Set
the coin on the table and pick up your napkin, wiping off all the remaining paper from
your right palm. That's it. Now don't be shy. Go out there and have some fun.^>

A N T H O N Y OWEN'S

OUT OF THIS HOUSE

DH: This is Anthony's variation of Out of this World. I must confess to
having a borderline obsessive fondness for this classic plot in which a
spectator magically separates the red cards from the black cards with-
out looking at the faces of the cards. This fondness stems from my
experiences of causing some of the most demure people to scream at
the end result. I've always used U.F. Grant's impromptu shuffled deck
variation with some fun touches I've added over the years. Anthony offers here an-
other impromptu presentation that appears to be free of sleight of hand and com-
pletely random, yet results in accurate red/black separation.
Out of this House can be performed with a regular shuffled deck, and you don't
stop-and-swap halfway through the dealing procedure. Even though everyone can
clearly see that you are dealing two piles of cards exactly as your spectator tells you
to, at the conclusion of the dealing, you spread the piles out face up showing that
your spectator has indeed separated the colors. To everyone's amazement, there is
one pile consisting of all reds cards and another consisting of all blacks. Somehow
your spectator's will was greater than that of the cards!
The handling is based on Lennart Green's color separation, except that instead of
separating the colors in your hands, you prepare to separate them as you deal them
onto the table into two piles. After the deck has been shuffled and returned to you,
openly set out two cards face up on the table to serve as indicators (one red and one
black) © . Explain to your amateur psychic that you will deal the remaining cards one
at a time into two piles according to his instructions. If he believes a card to be red,
you will deal it onto the red pile. If he believes it is black, onto the black pile it will go.
Ask him to begin guessing as you look at each card. Whichever color he calls, place
the card face down on the table below the indicator card of that color. Here's where
the sneaky part comes in. Regardless of which pile you deal the card onto, if it is
actually a red card, deal it diagonally sidejogged to the right. If it is actually a black
card deal it diagonally sidejogged to the left©. Do this for each card regardless of the
pile indicated by your spectator until every card is dealt.
It should appear as though you are just making two haphazard piles © , though in
reality you are preparing them to be "stripped" momentarily. Both piles are actually
a random conglomeration — mixed reds and blacks, with reds sidejogged one way
and blacks sidejogged the other way. With practice you should be able to deal the
cards quickly and naturally while properly orienting them.
When you have finished dealing, pick up the leftmost pile with your right hand
from above © and place it into your left hand without squaring it. The portion of the
cards sidejogged to the right (the red cards) should be gripped between your left
index and little fingers on their short edges near their right corners © (right hand
transparent for clarity). Your right thumb should be just to the left of your left little
finger on the inner short edge of the portion of the cards sidejogged to the left (the
black cards). The outer right corner of this left-jogged portion should rest against
your right index finger.
As you grip the red cards tightly between your index and little fingers, your right
thumb pivots to the left, carrying all of the black cards to the left with it © . These
black cards pivot out to the left of your left index finger and separate from the red
cards. The back of your right hand covers this action, which takes only a second.
Once separated, swing the black cards back over the red cards and drop them on top
of the red cards©. This action is similar to a pass, but instead of shifting cards from
the bottom of the deck, you have stripped them from throughout the pile. It should
appear as though you have merely squared up the pile, but you have actually sepa-
rated the colors and placed the black cards on top.
Place the first pile back on the table and repeat this strip-out pass-type action with
the second pile, as you comment on how you had no control over any of your
spectator's actions. Once the separation is complete and the blacks are on top of the
reds, fan this pile towards yourself to "check how your spectator did." Square up the
pile in your left hand but hold a break with the base of your left thumb between the
color split ® . Then pick up the first pile on the table and as you turn it face up, insert
it into the left thumb break from the back® and square the deck. Finally, spread the
cards out on the table to show that the colors are perfectly separated.
Horning In: The method here is similar to that used in Anthony's Out of this Book
from the Library and Out of this Street, which are both described fully in his publica-
tion, The Dungeon (Summer Special). The difference is that this routine uses an or-
dinary deck and a special dealing technique, while those other methods utilize a
stripper deck. I'm sure you can envision how one might be employed.
In one of those other effects, Anthony suggests a presentation that has some built-
in comic value reminiscent of balls over the head, but with a very magical climax.
Instead of dealing the cards face down into two piles, they are dealt face up while the
spectator has his back turned to the proceedings. Everyone else can see that he is
making numerous mistakes, yet when he turns around and you spread out the piles,
the colors are seen to be separate. Of course, you separate them as he is turning
around, catching everyone off guard with the results. With this ungimmicked method
though, it would be hard to disguise the dealing separation if done face up.
You may find that inserting the second packet into the thumb break just before the
final revelation is a bit gutsy, so you may wish to explore some more subtle options.
Here's one. Strip out the reds on top of the blacks in the second pile and hold a break
between the colors. Then drop the first pile on top of the second pile and do a turn-
over pass as you spread the deck on the table. I'll leave the other options to you. After
all, Anthony has gotten you this far, so I think that's only fair./^>

ZELEK SHADLINE'S

SO THAT'S HOW IT'S

DONE
DH: Zelek has come up with some pretty great magic (judging from the
small sampling in this issue and everything else I've seen of his in print),
but this is one of my favorites, and it isn't even a magic trick per se. It
is, however, a really cool, really funny optical illusion that every close-
up magician could use at some time or another. It will take you a little
work to make the required prop, but once you have, you'll be able to
visually prove one of the oldest false explanations for sleight of hand — that all the
magic was done with a trap door in the palm of your hand.
When your spectators look at your palm, they will see a little door attached to the
center of your hand. Not only that, but when you open the door, they will be able to
see right through your hand as though you actually have a hole in it covered by the
door. It's all just an optical illusion, but it looks really weird. If you make one of these
trap doors up for yourself, I guarantee you'll have a lot of fun with it.
The trap door will need to fit snugly in the palm of your hand. Something around
two inches by two and a half inches is about right for the dimensions. To find mate-
rials for the construction of the door and frame, take a field trip to your local craft
supply house. While there, buy a packet of flat wooden lollipop sticks © (previous
page), which are ideal "boards" to make your door. You'll also need a mirrored sheet
of plastic. You could use a glass mirror, but mirrored plastic is thinner, cheaper, and
much easier to cut to size. You will need to cut the mirror the right size for your palirv
You'll also want to browse through your craft store's selection of balsa wood to
find a rectangular rod © about a quarter inch by a half inch or so, and some trian-
gular wedges to match © . Actually, you'll probably have to make your own triangu-
lar wedges from the rectangular rod, but it never hurts to look. Also, get some good
glue if you don't already own some.
Okay class — now that we have our materials, let's get busy. Cut out a rectangular
section of mirrored plastic to the exact size you want your final door to be. Glue three
wedges of balsa wood to three of the mirror's edges leaving one of its short edges
unadorned @ . The wedges should slope upward from the edges of the mirror and
reach their peak as each wedge nears the center of the mirror. Glue a small rectan-
gular rod of balsa to the remaining short edge © .
Now lay a few lollipop sticks side by side until the width will cover the mirror in the
frame. Glue two short sections of lollipop sticks perpendicular to the parallel sticks
to keep them together©. Glue another short stick diagonally in the center as a cross
brace. Trim off the ends of the sticks to finish your door©. Hinge it to the rectangular
balsa rod using tape or a piece of suitable material glued in place. Then put three
small blobs of plastic adhesive (fun-tak or blu-tac) on the back of the mirror.
When you are performing some of your finest sleight of hand miracles using small
objects, have the closed trap door contraption in your right jacket pocket. As you
conclude the miracles at hand, pop the items back into that pocket, and grab the trap
door prop. Press it firmly into your palm while still in your pocket. The adhesive on
the back of the mirror will hold it in place for the short time you need it.
Bring your hand out of your pocket while telling your audience that you are going
to explain to them how your magic is done. The trap door should remain hidden at
this point. Say, "The magic I showed you was done using a trap door," as you display
the palm of your hand. Your audience sees the trap door on your palm and will most
likely find it amusing, so pause for a moment to let this image register properly.
After this momentary pause, rest the little finger side of your right hand upon the
top of the table causing the trap door to be perpendicular to its surface ® . Your palm
should face your audience, and your hand should remain steady. If everyone is either
standing or seated in a socially accepted manner, their eyes will be higher than the
trap door, and thus the viewing angle will be correct for the optical illusion. Swiftly
open the trap door and point to the "hole."
To your audience it will look as though you have a hole in your hand® (next page).
The wedges of wood on the edges of the mirror optically increase the hole's apparent
depth, and the table apparently shows "through" the hole. In actuality, your audience
is merely seeing a reflection of the table in front of your hand, so you should clear the
area around your hand before you open the door.
This illusion works best if you don't spend a lot of time with it. Don't dwell on the
hole in your hand. Keep the trap door open just long enough for everyone to see but
not long enough for them to start thinking about what they are seeing. If you wait too
long, someone will naturally want a better angle and may lower their eyes into the
same plane as the mirror, thus destroying all the hard work you went through to
amuse them in the first place. You'll be better off if you just swiftly close the trap door
and get on with some proper miracles.
Horning In: I can't really add too much except to say that you should use a door that
is as big as you can handle, and you should practice getting the proper vertical align-
ment, so that the illusion of the hole in your hand is instantaneous. Although this is
a quick interlude between "legitimate" effects, it is a stunner that will get requested
by those who see you perform regularly.
You'll notice that I didn't mention anything about this effect being possibly more
appropriate for another periodical with a more fitting name. This was on purpose.
You see, if that "other" periodical had a two color masthead and little drawings of its
contributors, it might have been lucky enough to snag a cool effect like this (which
would have been a bummer) — but it doesn't, and so it didn't. Hey, that's how it goes.
So remember, from now on when you hear "trap door" think THE M I N O T A U R ! ^

A N G E L O CARBONE'S

STRIKING ART
DH: A magician's job often entails creating the appearance of reality to
cover something which is artificial. In this effect you create something
which is obviously artificial, yet you are able to manipulate it as though
it were real. I'm talking about a drawing — in this case, a drawing of a
match box from which you remove a real match and proceed to light
it upon the rendered striking surface. I like effects where you cross the
line between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional worlds. I also like effects
where you need to make little drawings (I wonder why).
You will need a standard issue, office supply, yellow Post-It Note pad, a matchbox
and some wooden matches, scissors, glue, and a black marking pen. Carefully peel
off the top three pages of the pad, keeping them attached to one another®, and set
them aside. Do not adhere them to any surface because, like a change bag, you want
them to retain their tackiness. Peel off the next page and re-stick it just a little bit
lower than it was before © . Make sure the sides are still straight with the rest of the
pad. Place the three pages you removed earlier back on top of the pad so that they are
flush all around with the rest of the pad except for the protruding page ® . You now
have a Post-it Note pad with the fourth page projecting slightly at the bottom.
When the pad is held in a modified bottom dealing grip in your left hand, you should
be able automatically to lift up the top four pages with your left thumb due to the
"long" page®. Next peel the striking surface off of the matchbox®. Try to make it
as thin as possible while retaining its "strikeablity." Glue it to the fifth page, below
center and slightly to the right ® (next page). Put the pad in your right outer jacket
pocket with the marker and a wooden match and you are set to go.
At an appropriate time (such as when you need a lit match), remove the pad from
your pocket. Show the pad blank by holding the glued long edge in your left hand and
pushing the bottom edge of the pages downward with your right thumb, allowing
them to flick off one after another© (next page). The striking surface will not be seen
due to the short and long principle provided by the fourth page. In addition to blank-
ness, this also shows the pad to be apparently free of any special preparation.
As you remove the black marking pen from your pocket, tell your adoring fans that
you are going to play a game. Explain that you are going to draw a picture of a com-
mon object, and the first person to call out what it is, will get a small souvenir. Hope-
fully everyone will focus their attention on you and the pad — which is great!
Begin drawing a matchbox and when someone shouts out "matchbox," stop to
inform that person that he is correct. Then finish your drawing® (next page). Angelo
suggests using a brown marker to add in the striking surface, but it's not absolutely
necessary. If no one calls out the correct answer, you may remind them that you are
a magician, not an artist, and then offer some helpful clues.
Once a winner has been determined, place the pen back in your pocket and se-
cretly remove the match, hiding it in your curled right fingers. If at all possible, you
want to try to maneuver the match into a finger grip position between the tip and
base of your right middle finger so your fingers can be spread (9), but this is not
essential to the effect. Explain that the souvenir for the correct answer is inside the
box, as you tilt the pad towards you so no one can see the picture. As you reach up
behind the pad with your right hand, transfer the match to a position under your left
thumb © . Scrape your right thumb nail across the page so it sounds and looks like
you are opening the box. Briefly show your right hand empty, then use it to make
some more scratching noises as if you are fiddling inside the box.
Simulate the withdrawal of a match from the picture as you remove the match
from under your left thumb. Show the match and place it on the table. Use your right
thumb nail again to scrape the page, making the sound and action of closing the box.
Once you've completed these actions, flash the picture again as you pick up the
match with your right hand in the correct grip to strike it. Transfer your left index
finger to the top of the pad to get a better grip on it and tip the pad down so everyone
can see you place the match head on the left end of the drawn striking surface ® .
Attempt to strike the match. Obviously it will not happen. Try it again, but this time,
tip the top edge of the pad up so that the picture cannot be seen. Again, you fail. Say
you will try it again. "Third time's a charm!" As you say this, tip the top edge up a
touch more so that no one will see you lift up the top four pages to access the striking
surface. The angles will be tight here, so work them out in front of a mirror before-
hand. Once the pad is properly situated, lift up the top four pages with your left thumb
using the protruding page. The bottom end of the pages will curl up exposing the
striking surface on the next page @ .
Strike the match upon the exposed striking surface. As your right hand clears the
pad to the right and the match flares up, release the pages so that they fall back down
again. Rest your left thumb in its original relaxed position and tip the pad down as
you turn to your left so that the drawing can be seen by all. Do not look at it, but keep
your attention on the match. It all happens very quickly.
Wait a few seconds until the match stops flaring, and the effect registers. Then use
the match to light whatever it is you needed it to light, if anything. Still directing
attention toward the match, blow out the flame. Place the burnt match onto the
drawing held in place by your left thumb asyou withdraw the marking pen from your
pocket with your right hand. Sign your name next to the drawing, then put the pen
away. Peel off the top page and give it and the burnt match to the person who guessed
correctly as a small souvenir. Put the pad away, and you're home free.
To perform again, you simply have to add another page on top and get another
unburnt match. One way to replace the used top page is to remove the backing sheet
from the bottom of the pad, then transfer the bottom page to the top of the pad.
Replace the backing sheet on the bottom of the pad or leave it off altogether if you
like. You may also try preparing the gimmick further down in the pad so you don't
have to replace pages as often. Of course, there is a limit to how many pages can
easily be bent up without being noticed.
Horning In: For walk around, you can just have a pocket full of wooden matches,
so you don't have to keep searching for some more. I also think it would be possible
to perform this with a completely unprepared Post-It Note pad. There are two pos-
sibilities. One way would be to locate the striking surface somewhere else, but wher-
ever it is, you must be able to still handle things naturally and get rid of it without a
move. Perhaps a better option is to use a match that needs no striking surface.
"Safety matches have only half the chemicals required for combustion in their
heads, while the other half is on the striking surface. Instead, the matches I'm sug-
gesting you give a try have both chemicals in their heads in two layers. As a result,
when one of these matches is rubbed on any abrasive surface, it ignites. With prac-
tice, you can even ignite one with just a flick of your fingernail. The most common
brand of this type of match that I know of is called Ohio Blue Tip. These matches are
bigger than the standard box variety so they show up better. It's probably even pos-
sible to light one of these on a Post-It Note pad if you apply enough pressure and rub
quickly enough. Whatever way you try performing Striking Art, the secret of this ef-
fect, as with many effects, really lies is your ability to act./p
 J O N ALLEN'S

M.A.R.LO.
DH: One of the strengths of The Dungeon is its willingness to openly
confront many of the controversial issues in magic. The editorial con-
tent is frank, honest, and thought provoking. Here's a sample to get
you thinking from Jon Allen. Here Jon discusses his thoughts about
M.A.R.LO.—no, not the well-known card guy, but Magic and Real Life
Occasions. Marv and I think you will find it interesting reading.
You have worked it all out: you can perform a perfect faro shuffle, your Mario books
are dog-eared, you know what one eighth of an inch between each card looks like,
and you've vacuumed and ironed your close-up mat. All is set for your first big com-
mercial close-up job. You get there and horror of horrors, find that real people sitting
at real tables frequent the premises. It was never like this on the Stevens videos.
So you head towards your first table, repeating that opening line that will endear
you to your audience in those first few vital seconds: "Did anyone drop this pen-
knife?" Great stuff, they know you're a magician. Good, they are looking at you. Okay,
so they swiftly carry on kissing, but hey, they'll appreciate this triumph routine.. .now
ABOUTTHE
if only there were space for my close-up mat.
CONTRIBUTORS
GET REAL OUT THERE!!! Magic for magicians is as different from magic in the real
Anthony Owen always writes a short bio
world as Bicycle decks are to Waddingtons Number One's. Magicians look in wonder
for each contributor to The Dungeon, so
as a pass follows a diagonal palm shift follows a Jennings variation on a Mario idea
in keeping with his format, this is what
from Vernon's uncle. Laymen want to put you on TV after you change their card with
he wrote for the contributors in this is-
a double lift.
sue Of THE MINOTAUR:
In the real world, you suddenly realize that, instead of asking to see that trick
Marc Paul is a director of Dynamic Fx
where the cards are dealt into two piles and four cards are selected and the four aces
Ltd., a new company concentrating on
are introduced...people want to see the card stuck on the ceiling, the two balls in
developing, producing, and performing
their hand, the coin in the bottle, or the $1 change into a $100. There is a common
all aspects of magic. The effect featured
bond to virtually all good commercial tricks—it can be summed up in one sentence.
here is an extract from Marc's new book,
They will go home and try to recall what happened, adding those few impossible
Image Enhancers, available from The
touches, so it helps if the premise is easy to start with.
Magic Dungeon in the U.K. and H and R
Magic Books in the U.S. Performing the ambitious card trick, cups and balls, or coin in bottle for magicians
is one thing, but doing them for the public provides one hidden obstacle—the public.
Zelek Shadline is the pseudonym of one
Sometimes they are seeing magic close up for the first time, and they have a natural
of Britain's top game and puzzle experts.
curiosity about what you are doing. Occasionally, this curiosity steps gingerly over
He is a frequent contributor to the pages
the boundaries of proper "watch-the-magician" behavior, and they want to shuffle
of The Dungeon.
the cards, check that the balls are really there, or take a longer look at the coin.
Anthony Davis is a magician and actor
Admittedly, some audiences are well behaved, but a fair number will not be happy
and had the great honor of being an
to just sit, watch, and agree with everything you say. They all have personalities and
interviewee in The Dungeon alongside
egos, and they will want to show off to each other. You must be in control of your
Penn and Teller.
tricks, but can you always keep tight control of your audience? No. I believe in giving
Anthony Owen is me. the audience a slightly free reign, because, after all, we are there so they have a good
Angelo Carbone is the U.K.'s answer to time, whether this means frazzling their brains with a paddle move, freaking them
Dan Harlan. He is a young man gener- out with two sponge balls, or just joining in a humorous joke with them. This is all
ally considered to be one of our most part of being a commercial magician.
promising creative magical minds. He Do not forget we do impossible things. People are not stupid and they know if you
has a range of new products available were a real magician you would not be changing their money into a $100 bill. They
which I recommend to you. Send him a do not know what timing and routining you are employing and do not mean to inter-
S.A.S.E.at211 SilverleighRoad.Thorton rupt your routine, but they want to participate and not just watch.
Heath, Nr. Croydon, CR7 6DX England
1 have a view that every time I work, someone will always say or do something 1 do
for a list of them.
not expect. It is because of this that I think the commercial magician should have a
Jon Allen is one of London's busiest three-way armory: tricks, sleights and patter. You cannot (and I think should not) do
close-up magicians. His creation, The a whole performance and not include all of these. The word that should be foremost
Infinity Deck, will be available from all in your mind is adaptability.
good magic dealers soon.
GET REAL OUT THERE!!!
 0 0
-mm ^1 1
- " - 1 I - 1 1
-

-ir— 11—
11 11
1

FROM THE LABYRINTH

Half Bull, Half Magic

MARV LEVENTHAL DH: Aaaarrrggh! Call the authorities! Alert the media! THE MINOTAUR
Editor-in-Chief has been taken captive by The Dungeon. Although you may not have
DAN HARLAN realized it, this is a special "Dungeon Issue" of THE MINOTAUR. All the
Creative Genius & Illustrator material was culled from the pages of Anthony Owen's fine publica-
SUBSCRIPTIONS: THE MINOTAUR is pub- tion The Dungeon as part of an international trade agreement between
lished quarterly (that's four times a year). Single him and THE MINOTAUR. Anthony calls the result, "Half Bull, Half
issues are $5 each in the U.S. and Canada, $7
each everywhere else. A one year subscription
Dung." Here he attempts to answer some questions about his rag by engaging in a
(four issues) is $18 in the U.S. and Canada, $26 conversation with himself (something which he does with alarming regularity).
everywhere else.
What the heck is The Dungeon?
BACK ISSUES: Every attempt is made to keep
all back issues in stock. The prices for all back The Dungeon is a British quarterly magazine which I started in August 1993. Each
volumes and back single issues are the same issue has around 60 A4 pages and is full of reviews, interviews, editorial, opinion,
as the above subscription and single issue
comment, and tricks. The tricks tend to be primarily close-up, but we've had the odd
prices. However, please note that individual
back issues are only available from the current stand-up item — and on one occasion, a complete illusion act.
volume. Back issues prior to this volume are
only available in complete volume sets. Why would anybody want to publish another magic magazine 7

REMITTANCE: Make your check or money or- Soon after issue one was published to universal disinterest, I had one of my occa-
der payable in U.S. funds out to THE MINOTAUR sional chats with J.J. (editor of the British monthly independent magic magazine Opus
and mail it to the following address: — which comes out less frequently than The Dungeon). He said, "You'll never make
THE MINOTAUR any money publishing a magic magazine, but you'll make a lot of friends." So true.
P. O. BOX 470025
BROADVIEW HTS., OH 44147-0025 Through The Dungeon, I have gotten to meet and publish material by many of my
magical idols, like John Lenahan, Jerry Sadowitz, Richard McDougall, Alex Elmsley,
If you want to risk sending cash (U.S. money
Roy Walton, Peter Duffie, Max Maven, Ian Keable, Ali Bongo, David Williamson, and
only, please) in the mail, we're more than will-
ing to accept that too, but we take no respon- Dan Harlan (ML moonlighting behind my back, eh Dan?).
sibility if it doesn't get to us.
I also managed to cajole many of my friends to put pen to paper and put their ideas
SUBMISSIONS: Your editorial submissions (ef- into print. These include the contributors in this issue and others like Daniel Buckler
fects, bits of business, essays, anecdotes, com-
ments, fan mail, etc., and magical ramblings in (my Art Editor and best friend), Paul Andrews, Helen Armfield, Andy Nyman, Quadro,
general) are not only welcome, but encouraged Gavin Ross, Al Smith, Dean Nicholas, Paul Cowling, and Richard Griffin.
in order to assure the future viability of this fine
publication. Unless you indicate otherwise, we So it's all love and harmony?
will assume that any portion of your correspon-
dence is fair game for inclusion in a future is-
J.J. didn't warn me about all the enemies I'd make. We magicians are a sensitive
sue of THE MINOTAUR. We will happily return bunch who have grown up without the benefit of honest criticism. I am proud of the
your submissions provided you remember to magazine's independence. We wear our heart on our sleeve and so frequently end
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
up with our foot in our mouth. Some days I only open my mouth to change feet.
PE RMISS ION S: No part of this publication may
be reproduced in any form, by any means So is your grand master plan working?
whether currently known or, if you're reading
There was never a grand master plan. My reasons for starting were similar to Dan
this in the future, yet to be invented without the
written permission of Dan and Marv. In addi- and Marv's. I was fed up with sending the few ideas I had to other magazines and
tion, the manufacturing and commercial rights seeing them messed around with by the editors. I wanted the opportunity to mess up
for all items contained in this or any other issue
my ideas for myself. I also made the simple editorial decision to give all contributors
of THE MINOTAUR are reserved by their con-
tributors and THE MINOTAUR. a free issue. And I wanted to try to be as honest with my readers as I could. Anything
else is a waste of time.
ADVERTISING: Write to THE MINOTAUR for
advertising information. Be sure to include a So where do we send our money and articles for review?
telephone number where you can be reached.
The Magic Dungeon, 106 Windsor Street, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, MK12 5AT,
THE MINOTAUR
©Copyright 1995
England. To date every one of the eight issues has been published on time, and we
by Marvin J Leventhal have some great material lined up for the rest of this year. To subscribe, send an
& Daniel D. Harlan International Money Order for £30 made payable to The Magic Dungeon and you'll
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the U.S.A. receive the next four issues air mail. If you want to buy single or back issues, it will
6/95-28 probably be easier to contact those great chaps at H and R Magic Books (3702 Cyril
THE MINOTAUR Drive, Humble, TX 77396), who have been quietly shouting our praises in the States.
is printed on 100% recycled paper /'// stick a check in the post right now!
Great, but don't forget to renew your subscription to THE MINOTAUR loo.Jp-
 Half Bull, Half Magic'
© C O P Y R I G H T 1995 BY M A R V I N J. L E V E N T H A L & DANIEL D. H A R L A N V O L U M E 7 N U M B E R 2 / J U N E 1995 / $5.00

PRIME CUTS
ON THE COVER
Jon Allen's intriguing variations on
the ever popular classic rope effect,
Professor's Nightmare. It's a double
feature — two variations for the price
of one — that proves you can teach
three old ropes new tricks.

CANT KETCHUP 4
Scott Wells's culinary approach to
safe magic. Take his sage advice —
wherever you go, whatever you do,
always carry a condiment with you.
It's better to be safe than sorry.

J O N ALLEN'S B I R D S & BEES & B I K E S 6

FINAL NIGHTMARE Mike Maxwell's short course in hu-

man sexuality using a deck of cards. It
may not find a perfect mate for you,
DH: Jon Allen is the 1995 International Brotherhood of Magicians' but it will for a selected card.
Close-up Champion, having accomplished this feat by winning the
close-up contest at this year's national convention in Oakland, Cali-
fornia. He is the second straight winner to hail from jolly old England
QUARTER BACK SNEAK 9
Dan Maclnnis's impromptu quarter
(the Queen should be very proud). Jon makes his living as a full-time
transposition that's the perfect thing
performer in London, working in restaurants and at private functions.
over drinks at your favorite watering
In addition to the above, he is also a good friend and a really creative performer.
hole. And to think, we have the infor-
I had the great fortune of hosting Jon for a couple of weeks while he was in our mation superhighway to thank for it.
country for the I.B.M. convention. During that short time, he impressed me with
some wonderful new ideas and some ingenious variations on classics. Out of all the
things he showed me, Final Nightmare was one of the most impressive, and believe CETTHE POINT 10
it or not, it begins with a classic among classics, Professor's Nightmare. Jon Allen's showstopping card gag
Hey, where are you going? Come back here. Give me a chance to explain before that's more than just a gag. It's a bo-
you go on to the next effect. I know what you're thinking. Professor's Nightmare has nus comedy bit straight from the 1995
been done in so many ways by so many people that there can't possibly be some- l.B.M. Close-up Champion's competi-
thing that hasn't been done before, and even if there was, how good could it be? The tion act and into your hands.
effect is as good as it's gonna get, right? Well, before Jon showed me this, I would
have agreed with you. Afterwards, however, I readily admit how wrong I was.
FROM THE LABYRINTH
If you think you're a magician but
12

I remember our late night session very vividly. We were staying up and jamming you're not entirely sure, Dan offers up
on various magical ideas. After helping him smooth out some of the rough edges in some surefire ways to determine if you
his close-up act, we decided to take a break from the act and play with some other just might be one.
stuff. Then all of a sudden Jon said, "I've got an interesting thing to show you with
Professor's Nightmare." Of course, he said it with an English accent. I said, "Yeah,
right. I'll bet," in my best apathetic American intonation. He responded, "I've been
doing it in the restaurant, and it's been going over well, so I thought you might like
it." I decided to be polite, so I said, "All right, make it quick."
Jon showed me the customary three ropes, a short, a medium, and a long one. He
doubled them so that all six ends met at the same place. He then stretched them all
to the same length, as if I wasn't expecting that. Just when I was about to yawn, he
openly counted the ropes from hand to hand one at a time, and I could clearly see that
there were three separate pieces of equal length rope. I had to rub my eyes. "Where
is the little looped over piece of short rope that you have to hide while you're count-
ing?" I was asking myself. After a moment or two, I realized exactly where the little
loop was, and I burst out laughing as a result. You will too when I explain it later, but
Jon wasn't finished yet. He still had to change the ropes back to their original lengths.
Jon held three ends of the "equal" ropes in his right hand and the other three ends
in his left hand. He brought his hands together, allowing the middles of the ropes to
hang below. This demonstrated that the middles were all hanging at the same height,
just as one would expect. What one wouldn't expect, however, was that Jon would
give the ropes a little shake, and the three middles would instantly change to hang
at three different heights. My eyes nearly popped when I saw that. It was so pretty. It
looked just like it should look if you could cause such a thing to happen with real
magic. Stunned out of my apathetic stupor, I said, "Hey, not bad." I then asked him if
we could print it here, and he graciously consented without a fight.
If you already perform the original Professor's Nightmare, have your three ropes
handy in order to follow along with this explanation. If you do not perform this clas-
sic, buy the original at your favorite magic shop and ask the guy or gal behind the
counter, hopefully a magician, to run through the basic handling with you.
To save time, I'm going to pick up this explanation at the point in the routine where
you've just completed stretching the three ropes out to apparently the same length.
You should be holding three normal ends in your left hand while your right hand
conceals the short piece of rope secretly looped through the doubled over long rope
to simulate two separate equal length ropes©.
In the original, you would proceed to false count these ropes, transferring the se-
cret looped portion during the count. Jon has eliminated the false count, but you
must be performing tableside in order for his method to work. If you are a restaurant
performer, this is perfect for you. You may also find occasions to use this in other
situations, but probably not on stage. You'll find out why in a moment. The second
part of this routine, however, can be used anywhere, so stick around for that. Now
let's look at Jon's false count replacement subtlety. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it.
Once you have the ropes stretched between your hands, instead of dropping the
ends in your left hand, you will switch all three of them for the three ends in your right
hand in the action of tugging on the ropes to show that they are sturdy. To begin,
move your left index finger over the top of the three ends in your left hand and toward
you to clip them between your left index and middle fingers®. Then curl your fingers
in on the ropes and move your hands together and then apart to tug on the ropes
once. Now bring your hands together again, straightening your right middle, ring,
and little fingers and all your left fingers as you do s o ® . Place your right middle, ring,
and little fingers on your side of your left fingers so that those fingers go between the
ropes and your left fingers. Your left fingers go in front of your right hand © .

In a continuous action, extend your right index finger to clip ends held in your left
hand between your right index and middle fingers. At the same time, move your left
thumb onto the three ends held in your right hand to clip them against your left index
finger©. Release your right thumb's and your left index finger's grips on the ropes
and then move your hands apart© to tug on the ropes again, the fingers of both your
hands curling in on the ropes as you tug. This exchange should be almost instanta-
neous and should look like your hands merely came together for a moment between
tugs. Give the ropes one more tug, without switching ends, for good measure. You'll
finish with the secret looped section in your left hand.
 Drop your left hand's ends casually below the edge of the table, allowing the short
rope to hang looped over the center of the long rope. No one should suspect that
there is anything unusual about the ends that hang hidden below the table's edge.
This is the reason you must be standing next to a table when you use this subtlety.
Your spectators will be unable to see the looped section below the table's edge, and
the switch takes the heat off of those ends.
The moment the short rope is out of sight, count the normal ends of the ropes one
at a time from your right hand to your left hand. Do this very openly with a nice casual
pace as though the ropes were indeed separate. That's how they will appear to your
audience, even though at one point your hands will be holding opposite ends of the
long rope with the short rope draped over its center and hidden below the table's
edge©. I think you can see now why I found this so funny when I realized how Jon
had fooled me with something so bold.
Once you've completed transferring the third end into your left hand, hold your
right hand palm up on your side of the three ropes just beneath your left hand. Move
your left hand slightly back toward yourself, draping the ropes across your palm up
right hand ® . Without relinquishing your left hand's grip, curl your right fingers
around the ropes and move your right hand briskly to the right, thus causing the
hidden ends of the ropes and the looped portions of the long and short ropes to slide
quickly back up into your right hand where they started. The looped over short rope
will travel too quickly for anyone to see its true condition.
When you have the looped short rope secured in your right hand once again, you
will need to maneuver the ropes into the proper position for the next sequence in
which the ropes visibly change back to three different lengths. The first part is easy;
simply position the end of the medium rope nearest to the fork of your right thumb
and the looped short/long ropes nearer to your right fingertips ® . Your right thumb
holds both ends of the short piece against your right index finger so that the looped
portion is positioned directly below your right thumb.
As you pause to accept all of the thunderous applause directed your way by your
stunned spectators, casually drop your right hand down to your side. As your hand
is moving downward, curl in your right middle, ring, and little fingers between the
two hanging sections of the long rope®. Your right fingers support the middle of the
long rope as you perform the following actions. As your right hand reaches its lowest
point, release your thumb's hold on the outermost end of the short rope, allowing it
to fall forward®. If your right hand is tilted sufficiently downward, the short rope
will release itself from around the long rope. If this does not happen, just give your
right hand a little downward flick of the wrist to assist the small rope.
As you bring your right hand back up to its original position, flick your right wrist
upward, causing the loose end of the short rope to flip back up into position above
the side of your right index finger where it is again clipped by your right thumb. Your
right thumb and index finger can help get the short rope back up into position if need
be. You have just released the looped middles of the short and long ropes from around
one another. Also, just before your right hand is back up to its original position, press
the loop of the long rope against your right middle finger with your right thumb and
work the three fingers of your right hand out from between the hanging sections of
the long rope so that the "three" ropes can again be held loosely in your right fist. All
of this is done secretly. To your spectators, nothing appears to have happened; you
still apparently hold three equal ropes.
Turn your right hand palm up with the backs of its fingers toward your spectators.
Uncurl those fingers slightly, keeping your thumb over the middles of the long and
short ropes where they meet to keep from dropping them. Be careful to keep the
medium rope separate and nearer to the fork of your right thumb. Bring your palm up
left hand to the right of the three ropes and below your right hand and extend your
left fingers toward your spectators. Move your palm up left hand toward your left,
allowing the ropes to glide across your left fingers. As you do so, keep the three ropes
straight and untangled by using your left thumb to straighten out and separate the
two sections of the long rope © .
 As your left hand does this, curl your right fingers in and allow the middle of the
long rope to slip down in your right fist until it is held by your curled right ring and
little fingers. Stop your left hand's progress along the ropes when you have the same
length of ends protruding out from the index finger side of both hands. Then curl your
left fingers in while holding your left hand's three ends in the fork of your left thumb.
You will now secretly switch the outermost end (that is, the end nearest your spec-
tators) of the long rope for the outermost end of the short rope as your hands come
together. Bring your hands together, palm up with fingers curled, until the sides of
your little fingers touch. Then turn both your wrists inward so that the middle joints
of your fingers form the letter " V " @ . Call attention to the three middles, mentioning
that they are all the same length. Separate your hands about six inches or so apart
momentarily. Then bring them together again as you lean forward a bit to say some-
thing witty like, "So far, so good."
This time as your little fingers touch, uncurl your left fingers and clip the outermost
end of the short rope between your left index and middle fingers @ . Then use your
right thumb to drag the outermost end of the long piece from your left hand into your
right hand. This should take a split second to accomplish. Then reposition your left
index finger in front of the transferred short end it now holds. Once the ends have
been switched, turn your hands back to their " V " position with the sides of your little
fingers pressed against one another. You will find that this holds the middle of the
long rope in place so that you can open your left and right fingers in front of the short
piece stretched between your hands® and curl them around the short piece to hide
it from view. Now lean back. From the front, your spectators still see three ends
emerging from each of your hands and three middles hanging evenly below, so they
think that nothing has changed.

All you need to do now is turn your palms towards your spectators as you move
your hands apart and open all of your fingers except for your index fingers and thumbs,
which grip the three ends each hand holds. Give the ropes a gentle little shake for-
ward to insure that the long rope does not get tangled on the short or medium rope
as it f a l l s ® . Your hands will finish with their palms facing toward your spectators,
and you will instantly be holding three different lengths of rope where just a moment
ago they appeared to be all the same length. It looks really weird. After pausing in this
position, you can drop the ends one at a time from your left hand and then allow the
ropes to be examined if you like.
Horning in: To make the final change back to three unequal length ropes most
impressive, be sure to pause and call attention to the equal middles before dropping
the middle of the long rope with a shake. Then your audience's attention will be
focused right on the ropes, making the change much more visual. Just remember
that the most important thing about this routine is to practice it until your fingers
naturally fall into place so you don't have to hesitate to think about what to clip
where next. If you are consciously readjusting your fingers, you will call attention to
actions that should go unnoticed. Let me conclude by saying that as soon as Jon
taught me his additions to Professor's Nightmare, I stopped using additions that I had
developed over time and adopted Final Nightmare instead. 1 think it's that good! Give
it a try, and I think you too will find out just how ingenious Jon's additions a r e . ^

SCOTT WELLS'S

CANT KETCHUP
ML: Inspiration to invent new magic effects sometimes comes from
the strangest sources. In the case of Scott Wells, that strange source
was none other than me. Not that I'm strange mindyou (although some
people might debate that with you), it's just that no one has ever cited
me as a source of inspiration before Scott. Perhaps it was the promise
of fame and glory associated with being published in THE MINOTAUR;
perhaps it was the promise of receiving a coveted "I was in THE MINOTAUR" button;
or perhaps it was the promise of saving half the price of a hotel room by letting him
room with me at the Magifest in Columbus, Ohio this last February (what the heck,
I saved half the room price too). Whatever the reason, Scott came up with this effect
when we got together one day to eat at the hotel restaurant.
I don't remember if it was served with one of our meals or if it was on our table
before we got seated, but either way, there it was — a cute miniature ketchup bottle
about three inches tall. It looked just like someone had chopped the top three inches
off of a regular size ketchup bottle. It even had a miniature label on i t © (previous
page). For all intents and purposes, it looked just like a shrunken ketchup bottle. This
little bottle (along with my inspiring presence) prompted Scott to come up with this
effect. In fact, by the end of the meal, with my two cents tossed in just for good
measure, Scott had already worked out most of the handling. Over the ensuing
months, in between writing his columns for The Linking Ring and MAGIC (that's why
his name sounds so familiar), Scott smoothed out its rough edges, put the effect to
paper, and sent it to me. And now here it is to satisfy your magical gourmet palate.

Imagine you're getting ready to enjoy a double cheeseburger and fries with friends
at a favorite local eatery, just before diving in, you reach for the bottle of ketchup.
Before opening it and applying the condiment liberally, you state that you don't need
that much ketchup. You cover the bottle completely with your paper napkin and then
push straight down on the top of it. Much to everyone's surprise, the bottle appears
to go right through the table. But wait — the bottle didn't quite make it. There is still
a small lump protruding upward under the napkin. You pound once or twice on it to
no avail. Frustrated, you tear the napkin to expose the cap and neck of the ketchup
bottle. It appears to be stuck part way through the table! After a brief pause, you tear
away the rest of the napkin to reveal that the bottle is not stuck at all but has rather
shrunk to only three inches tall. While everyone else's mouth is open wide in aston-
ishment, explain that you only needed a little ketchup and proceed with your meal.

"So where can I get one of these mini-ketchup bottles?" Good question. These are
typically used by room service in larger hotels and can be acquired by ordering up a
late night snack in your room and asking for ketchup. If it truly is a quality establish-
ment, room service will send along a mini-ketchup bottle or two and not some of
those cheap foil ketchup packets. However, if foil packets are all you get, next time
stay at a better hotel. Of course, you could simply wander from hotel restaurant to
hotel restaurant and ask a waiter or waitress as he or she whizzes by you if they have
the desired type of ketchup bottle on hand. Take it from me, it helps if you eat there,
and the promise of a little extra in your server's tip doesn't hurt either.
Assuming you have a mini-ketchup bottle (hereafter called the little-un) in your
possession, put it in your right coat pocket and carry it around with you always. Then
the next time you are eating out at a place that uses paper napkins and there is a
matching regular size ketchup bottle on the table (hereafter called the big-un), you
will be able to perform this seemingly impromptu tabletop miracle.
Here's what you do. While seated, place the big-un on the table about six inches in
front of you. Then reach into your right coat pocket and grab hold of the little-un so
that its cap rests at the base of your right thumb, and its bottom rests against your
right ring and little fingers©. This leaves your right index and middle fingers and
thumb free, thus allowing you to open the napkin and display it vertically in front of
you held between the index and middle fingers and thumbs of both hands©. In this
manner, the little-un will remain concealed behind the napkin and your hand.
Now relinquish your right hand's grip on the napkin and drape it over the big-un
with your left hand. As you do so, also drape the napkin over your right hand as it
moves the little-un in front of the big-un so that their caps are at the same level®.
Make sure that the napkin completely obscures the big-un from your audience's
view. Your left hand now relinquishes its grip on the napkin and moves over the top
of the napkin directly above the bottles. As it does so, under the cover of the napkin,
maneuver the little-un with your right hand so that it is held around its neck by your
right thumb and index finger© (napkin removed so you can see what's going on).
Your left hand now opens palm down over the cap of the little-un to apparently
slam the big-un down through the table. Instead, you push the little-un and your right
hand holding it down to the tabletop© (previous page). However, at the same mo-
ment that your left hand hits the cap of the little-un, your right middle, ring, and little
fingers kick the big-un back toward you and into your lap under the cover of the
napkin © (previous page). The audible thump of the little-un hitting the table will
cover any sound made by the big-un. To your audience, that thump will be mistaken
for the sound of the bottle going through the table. By the way, be careful here. Should
the big-un accidentally slide off your lap and hit the floor, you'll have quite a mess on
your hands (or should I say feet), and just try explaining that to your server and friends.
Keep your open palm down left hand against the napkin and the lump protruding
upward underneath it. Then begin hitting the lump with your open left palm as if you
are trying to push the rest of the bottle through the table. After having no success in
doing so, relinquish your right hand's grip on the little-un and take your right hand
out from under the napkin. Proceed by smoothing out the napkin at its edges with
both hands palm down and open wide®. Then regrip the little-un around its neck
between your right thumb and index finger through the napkin® and begin to pull
the napkin downward around the little-un. As you pull the napkin downward, the
cap of the little-un should begin to tear through the napkin®. Pull it down just enough
to expose the cap, neck, and a little of the shoulders of the little-un. Let this image
sink into the minds of the other diners at your table. It appears that you pushed the
big-un about two-thirds of the way through the table.

To conclude, suddenly rip the napkin apart by pulling it to the left and right against
the table top with your open palm down left and right hands respectively®. As a
result, the little-un will come completely into view. To your audience, the ketchup
bottle has apparently shrunken to only three inches tall. As your audience gasps,
take the pieces of the torn napkin and relax by placing them and your hands in your
lap. Then comment that you only wanted a little ketchup, open up the little-un to
pour some ketchup on your food, and then nonchalantly continue with your meal.
Horning in: There you have it — another fine food effect from THE MINOTAUR. I
beg you though, don't perform this as a prepared item in a show. That is, don't bring
out your own big-un and say something stupid like, "Watch what happens when I try
to push this ketchup bottle through the table." Presented in a manner such as that,
Can't Ketchup will most likely go over like a dry mustard plaster. However, presented
in a seemingly impromptu manner, this can be quite a stunner. Just be careful to
watch your angles a little. As for the big-un on your lap at the end, just don't worry
about it. You're fellow diners' minds are on the little-un, so if you don't worry about
the big-un, your dining companions won't either. Then just leave it on your chair
when you leave the restaurant, which will not doubt have your server wondering,
"What the heck is that ketchup bottle doing there?" ^

MIKE MAXWELL'S

BIRDS& BEES& BIKES

DH: Warning! The effect you are about to read contains subtle (and not
so subtle) references to the act of procreation. Although we are all
aware that this is an entirely natural function necessary for the con-
tinuation of life, some people may be sensitive to public discussions of
this topic. As such, I feel it's best to warn you that what follows is rated
PG-13 © and should be used only on those occasions when adults
gather for lighthearted conversation, harmless fun, and card tricks. If you're a bar
magician, or if you perform for college crowds or in comedy clubs, this may be per-
fect for you. Just use your best judgement when deciding whether or not to use this.
If you've ever purchased a magic video from A-1 MultiMedia © , I'm sure you rec-
ognize both the name and the face of Mike Maxwell. Mike is the owner of that fine
company and appears, I believe, on virtually every one of their tapes. He's the smiling
face who introduces the featured performer at the beginning of their videos. He also
has a passion for collecting and creating self-working card tricks and has released
two videos featuring this material. He originally developed this trick for one of those
videos but realized that it wasn't really self-working, since it takes a great deal of
performance ability to carry it off properly. Beyond that though, it's technically simple,
because you merely have to force a card.
This routine was developed a couple of years ago when Mike and 1 got to talking
about card tricks. We came to the realization that most card effects were not inher-
ently very humorous. To alleviate this problem, Mike decided to create a card trick
that was about something with which everyone could relate and which he could
make really funny. He liked a card revelation that John Bannon uses where John asks
a spectator essentially meaningless questions (when you order fast food from
McDonald's, do you usually get a large soda or a medium? (3)) and determines their
card based upon his or her responses. Mike decided to change the line of questioning
to a slightly risque subject matter, and I later helped him write some of the lines that
follow. To perform it, all you'll need is a deck of cards and the proper atmosphere.
Force theseven of spades on a spectator by the most natural method you can. The
classic force would be perfect here but use whatever force works best for you. You
can actually force any spade you'd like, but I like the seven @ . Have your spectator,
Bob, show the card around while you look away. You can actually use any spectator
you'd like, but I like Bob © . Ask Bob to place the card in his pocket before you turn
back to the group. From this point on, it's all presentation.
Perform a few flourishes with the deck if you like as you launch into the following
script. "Playing cards were invented by the gypsies thousands of years ago as a means
to connect with all aspects of our lives. They used them for fortune telling. In those
days, most of the questions about one's future centered on romance, and the gypsies
were very romantic people. In fact, they designed the cards to closely parallel all
aspects of human sexuality. Let me point out a few examples."
Hold the deck slightly tighter than you usually do in your left hand © as you say,
"As you know, this is called a deck. There is only one deck, and a man has only one..."
Pause here for emphasis and then continue,".. .thing on his mind, when it comes to
women. Of course, that one thing is 'making her happy.'"
Turn the cards face up and spread them between your hands, showing their faces
as you comment, "There are two colors of cards, red and black, and likewise, there
are two sexes, male and female. Of course, if you've watched many daytime talk
shows you know that some people prefer to play 'Uno,' if you know what I mean.
There are also four different suits; clubs, hearts, spades, and diamonds. As I'm sure
everyone here knows, four is the average number of lovers that an individual will be
with over the course of..." Pause again, "...a normal weekend." Use this laugh line to
give you some time to locate the seven of clubs (the mate of your force card) in the
spread and to cut it to the bottom of the face up deck. Then as the laughter dies down,
square the deck, flip it face down, and hold it again in left-hand dealing position. The
mate of your force card should be the top card of the now face down deck.
"Another curious fact involves the number of cards in each suit. From ace through
king there are thirteen cards. As we are all aware, thirteen is the average number of
orgasms a woman experiences during a single session of lovemaking..." Wait for the
outrageousness of this statement to register and then say,".. .at least, in my experi-
ence." Spring the cards from hand to hand (7) (next page) as you continue by saying,
"There are fifty-two cards in a full deck, including the one in Bob's pocket, and ac-
cording to my research, there are exactly fifty-two common lovemaking positions,
not counting the jokers, and they're missionary."
Give the deck a false shuffle and/or cut, retaining the seven of clubs on top of the
deck, as you remark, "For my final example, notice that if you add up all of the spots
indicated on all of the cards in the deck, you'll get a total of three hundred sixty-five.
You see what I mean? Three hundred sixty-five is also the total number of erogenous
zones found on the male and female combined. Of course, three hundred sixty-four
of them are on the female ® (next page)." Square the deck and hold it face down in
dealing position in your left hand. Say to your spectator, "Bob, as you can see, I have
firmly established the connection between a deck of playing cards and human sexu-
ality. You have upset the delicate balance by removing a card. The deck knows which
card is gone, but we don't. The deck will ask you a few questions about your love life,
and if you answer them as honestly as you can, your answers will reveal the identity
of your card. You do remember your card, don't you? Good, let's begin."
Ask Bob to cut a small packet of cards, about a quarter of the deck or so, off the top
of the deck®. Then have him turn his cut off packet face up and drop it back square
on top of the deck®. Regardless of what face up card now shows on the top of the
deck, act as though it is telling you what question to ask. "Aha, Bob, this card would
like to know if you prefer to make love in the morning or in the evening?" The mo-
ment he answers, regardless of what his answer is, say, "That means your card is a
black card, correct?" If he doesn't say yes, you are obviously in major trouble.
Ask him to cut again, this time a little deeper than the first time, and to again turn
this packet over on top of the deck to bring a different face up card into view. Say,
"Bob, this card would like to know if you make love an average of more than five
times a week or less than five times a week?" If you'd like, substitute the value of the
card that shows for the number of times a week. Once Bob answers, immediately
reply, "Well then, you should be spade." This line gets a huge laugh no matter what
his answer was. When saying this, don't make a big deal out of it and turn it into an
insult. Instead, act as though it is unintentional, following up by saying, "I mean your
card is a spade, is that right?"
Have Bob cut a little deeper again and flip the packet over on top of the deck to
show yet another card, at which point you say, "Ah, this is interesting. This card
would like to know if you are the experimental type or if you are more into standard
fare?" When he answers, say, "Then your card is a number card, isn't it?" He will say
that it is. As an aside you might try saying, "In other words, 'no face.'" This line means
nothing really, but it sounds like it should.
One final time, have Bob do the cut deeper and packet turn over thing. Then say,
"And finally, this card here is asking a question of a somewhat more personal nature,
so I will try to phrase it in a socially acceptable manner. Bob, we need to know, do you
engage in, how shall I put it, 'solo flights of fantasy' more than ten times a day or less
than ten times a day " Almost every person will respond to this question by saying,
7

"Less." When he does, immediately say, "All right, then that means your card is the
two of spades!" Name the wrong card. Bob will say, "Wrong."
Pause for a few seconds and look a bit puzzled. Then allow your expression to
change to one of realization as you smile at your audience and say, "Obviously, Bob
lied about that last question." Pause and look at Bob. It usually takes a few seconds
for Bob to realize he has fallen into your devious little trap. When he does realize it
though, his expression will be priceless. To take the edge off Bob's current predica-
ment a bit, say, "That's okay, Bob. Me too. Nice to meet you." Extend your right hand,
fingers slightly curled, as though you were going to shake his hand, but instead begin
shaking it without him. I hope that no further explanation of this visual gag is re-
quired, since 1 don't intend to offer any. Now continue with your script.
"1 can still determine the identity of your card, since the cards know which one is
missing. You see, just like people, each card has a perfect mate, that is, a card of the
same value, the other half of the pair, the one with the complementary suit of the
same color. To find this perfect mate, I just have to look through the deck, which Bob
just mixed, until I come to the first face down card." Suit your actions to your words
by spreading the cards out between your hands and removing the first face down
card ® (next page). This will be the seven of clubs, because you and Bob just per-
formed a strange adaptation of the cut deeper force. Put the rest of the deck aside.
Turn this card face up and show it to be the seven of clubs as you say, "This card is
the seven of clubs. That means you must have the seven of spades. Take it out and
show everyone. Uhh, Bob, I mean your card." Allow your audience to react to this
concluding line. Then as an afterthought add, "Whew! I didn't think I was going to
pull that off, so to speak." With that said, put your cards away and get out your sponge
balls. I think they're primed for just about anything now.
 Horning in: I warned you that this wasn't kids show material, but hopefully you
enjoyed it as much as we did coming up with the concept. One of our goals was to
write the jokes in such a way that they were not vulgar, yet were suggestive enough
to be funny. This, as you may already know, is an incredibly thin line that varies
greatly from audience to audience. Also, certain performers have the ability to say
nearly anything without alienating their spectators, and certain others must be more
cautious. Please, know into which category you fall before trying this routine.
Above all else, remember that this is not a card trick. This is a routine about people,
and in particular about a private part of someone's life. People must be handled with
much more dexterity than a deck of cards. If you can do this properly, Bob will think
you are a fun person, and he will enjoy laughing at himself, since he knows you don't
intend him any personal harm. After all, without him, you've got no s h o w . ^ -

D A N MACINNIS'S

Q U A R T E R BACK SNEAK
DH: Welcome to the age of modern technology at work. This effect
comes to us from an engineer living in Indianapolis, Indiana, who took
a detour on the information superhighway known as the Internet to
drop off a coin trick for us. I'm sure you've heard all about the Internet
by now. It's that place in cyberspace where you can surf the computer
waves to check out all kinds of useful stuff. Why you can actually see
what some guy's cat is watching on TV, or you can press "A Really Big Button That
Does Absolutely Nothing," or you can even find out if there's coffee in a pot halfway
across the country. Of course, there's also a lot of useless stuff there too. However,
if you're lucky like Marv and me, you might receive a coin trick in your electronic -
mailbox. And some people still question the value of going on line!
This effect is intended as an impromptu trick at a bar or restaurant. You begin by
borrowing two quarters that are marked with initials or some other identifying mark.
One of them is marked by you, the other is marked by your mark (umm, I mean
spectator). You place the quarter with your initials on it into your hand. Your
spectator's marked quarter is placed into his hand. After making a few magical ges-
tures and chanting some incoherent incantation reminiscent of an old Doobie Broth-
ers song, you announce that the quarters have changed places. Your spectator upon
opening his hand should be mildly impressed to find your marked quarter resting
inside. When you open your hand, you discover that his quarter has vanished.
To bring his quarter back, make a few magical passes over your beer, which has
been sitting on the bar the whole time. Carefully lifting up the beer, you reveal the
paper napkin below. After showing your hands empty, you slowly lift the napkin to
reveal your spectator's marked quarter sitting on the bar with his initials clearly dis-
played — a pretty darn good trick considering that it's both impromptu and easy. All
you need to do to perform it is to make sure you have a permanent marking pen with
you (or you can try to borrow a pen that will write on a quarter).
Sit down at the bar and order your favorite beverage. Your refreshing ice cold bev-
erage will be delivered to you resting upon a small, folded, square, regulation issue
bar napkin. If it is not, request one from the friendly barkeep. Place the beverage onto
the napkin, slightly off center to the right©, within easy access of your right hand,
and strike up a conversation with the person to your left on the subject of
"teleportation." Hey, I'm sure you've had stranger conversations than that in a bar
before. Having piqued the curiosity of your new friend, ask him if he would be kind
enough to loan you two quarters so you can demonstrate this strange phenomenon.
As in the above description, have him initial one quarter. Place his quarter, initial side
up, onto the bar just to the left of your napkin© to "allow the ink to dry." His quarter
will be flicked under the napkin with your right thumb using a "thumb kick" action in
a moment so place it accordingly. Once this is done, initial the other quarter yourself
with your marking pen and then put your marking pen away.
 Display your marked quarter in your right hand, clearly showing your initials. Ap-
parently place it into your left hand but actually retain it in classic palm position in
your right hand © (previous page) as you left hand closes into a fist around nothing.
Then begin to reach down with your right hand to pick up your spectator's quarter.
As your right fingers cover the quarter from sight as if to pick it up, use your right
thumb to kick the quarter to the right under the napkin next to i t ® . In other words,
flick the left edge of the quarter to the right with your right thumb, thus secretly pro-
pelling it under the napkin. The drink on top of the napkin will prevent the quarter
from shooting out the opposite side of the napkin and ruining a perfectly good magic
trick. The moment your thumb has flicked the quarter, curl in your right fingers as
though they held the quarter and lift your hand up away from the bar.

If you were careful when you classic palmed your quarter, you will know which
side shows your initials. This will allow you to drop the coin from classic palm onto
your right fingertips and turn your right hand palm up to display it momentarily with-
out showing your initials © as you gesture for your spectator to hold out his hand.
Place your quarter into his hand and assist him by closing his hand into afistand
turning it palm down. He will assume that he holds his marked quarter.
At this point, begin speaking again but feign a scratchy throat (that means fake it)
and pick up your beverage to take a little drink. When you return your beverage to the
napkin, place it in the center of it, directly over the hidden quarter®. This will make
the final revelation of your spectator's marked quarter a bit more impressive.
Ask your spectator if he can still feel his quarter in his hand. He will say yes or
words to that effect. Explain that you will try to make the two coins switch places,
and if he concentrates on his coin he may feel it when it leaves his hand and is re-
placed by yours. This, as you know, is a load of "bull," but it is important time
misdirection so that he forgets you ever touched your beverage.
Make your favorite magical gesture and exclaim that it is done: Have him open his
hand to show your marked quarter there. Then open your hand to show that his
quarter has vanished. Finally, lift your beverage up off the napkin and set it aside,
show both your hands empty, and slowly lift the napkin to reveal your spectator's
marked quarter with his initials clearly displayed. Do this with as much showman-
ship asyou can muster and then wait foryour new found friend to buy the next round.
Horning in: Dan says that his inspiration for this trick came mostly from a copper/
silver transposition effect by Doug Conn published last year in MAGIC. Doug used the
thumb kick to flick a half dollar under a coin purse and exchange it with a copper/
silver coin he had classic palmed. Quarter Back Sneak is an easy-to-learn application
of the thumb kick, since the glass will stop the coin from traveling too far, and you're
able to show a coin in your hand when one should be there. Dan's other motivation
for creating this effect was trying to pass the time while waiting for a friend in a bar.
It's amazing what a little dose of monotony can do for your imagination.
As I mentioned, Dan sent THE MINOTAUR this submission through electronic mail,
better known as e-mail, and you can too. We welcome all your correspondence at
marvl@en.com, Marv's e-mail address on the Internet./^

J O N ALLEN'S

CETTHE POINT
DH: In addition to his amazing magic (go back to the cover and check
out Final Nightmare if you haven't already), Jon also displays a slightly
demented sense of humor from time to time. The following is one of his
best gags, which actually stopped the show each time he did it in the
I.B.M. close-up competition. This gag has everything that makes a
perfect comedy bit — it's visual, the joke is not anticipated, it refer-
ences a part of the human anatomy, and it's a card trick. We hope you enjoy this little
bonus from 1995's I.B.M. Close-Up Champion, Jon Allen. .
 It requires a small envelope into which you can fit a single playing card, a thumb-
tack from any office supply store (you'll probably have to buy a box, but you only
require one tack), a deck of cards, one extra duplicate card, and the special predic-
tion sign © (previous page) You may want to have this sign copied and even en-
larged. It's perfectly okay with us, and it really won't lessen the worth of this issue of
THE MINOTAUR to you. Just be sure your copy retains the clarity of the lines and the
breaks in the letters, since it is not what it appears to be. Your duplicate card can be
any card except the three of hearts. It's best to use a card that drastically contrasts the
three of hearts, so let's use a seven of spades in this example.
Insert the thumbtack through the center of the address side of the small envelope
(the side without the seams) while holding it open so that the tack does not go through
the other side © . Once inserted, bend the point of the tack over to the side inside the
envelope and press it firmly in place to keep it from falling off of the envelope. Slip
the duplicate seven of spades into the envelope. Fold up your special prediction sign
or have it inside another larger envelope if you wish. Place the seven of spades in
position in your deck to be forced (top, bottom, ninth, or wherever you need it to be
to force it). Put all of these things into your right pocket, and you are ready to go.
Approach a spectator seated to your right in a suitable setting, such as a restau-
rant, and offer to amaze and amuse her and her friends. Bring out your prediction,
calling it "a prediction" as you set it onto the table in front of your spectator. The
prediction should be placed so she must lean forward to pick it up when asked ® .
Afteryou have properly placed the prediction, procure your pasteboards from your
pocket and proceed to perform the pick a card part. In actuality, you force the seven
of spades on your spectator and have her lay it face up in front of herself. Ask her to
pick up the prediction as you pocket the deck. Your right hand should reemerge from
your pocket with the thumbtacked envelope positioned behind her back as you cau-
tion everyone else not to touch the prediction. If they did, your spectator might not
have to lean forward to retrieve your prediction, which would ruin your loading
opportunity. This will become crystal clear in the following paragraph.
As she leans forward to pick up the prediction and all eyes are directed toward that
action, bend a little at your knees and drop the thumbtacked envelope right onto the
exposed center of her chair @ . She will sit back onto it completely unaware of its
existence. Step a little to your left to distance yourself from her somewhat as you ask
her to open the prediction and read what it says. She will say, "Three of hearts," or
perhaps, "Three H." Wouldn't you say the same? At this point it will look like you have
screwed up royally (an expression with an even fuller meaning to the British ever
since Charles and Di).
Grab the prediction sign from her and say, "Oh, no, you've got it the wrong way
around. You should hold it this way." Turn the sign 90° so that the " H " part is on the
bottom with the curves of the three above i t © . As you point to the sections of the
letters, starting from the bottom up say, "You see, it says there is an envelope, with
a thumbtack in it, that..." Pause here as you gently trace the curves of the three with
your index finger. Then look at your spectator and point at her asyou continue,".. .you
are sitting on." It will take her a moment to react and check beneath her, but when
she does, she will find the envelope. She will not have any idea how it got there, and
everyone will realize this even though they are still laughing at the visual gag. Ask
her to open it up and dump out the matching card as you clean up everything else.
Horning in: This is a kind of twisted, demented, silly gag, reminiscent a little of
Monty Python in its structure. I think if you can deliver it with the same befuddled
mock seriousness epitomized by John Cleese, then it will go over strong. Of course,
Jon Allen has an advantage, what with that accent and all, but I'm sure you can
compensate. In the routine above, I've given you a suggestion for loading the enve-
lope, but you can use any method and timing you'd like. In fact, Jon usually loads it
way in advance of this gag. During the I.B.M. close-up competition, it was the first
thing he did as he helped his volunteer get seated. My suggestion makes the load
possible just about anywhere, at anytime, and comes from my own restaurant rep-
ertoire in which I used to repeatedly load cards under people for an ongoing gag./*£-
 IOTAUR

FROM THE LABYRINTH

"Half Bull, Half Magic"

MARV LEVENTHAL DH: A couple of weeks ago I was noddin' off to sleep after seein' come-
Editor-in-Chief dian Jeff Foxworthy on one of them there talk shows. He's an up and
DAN HARLAN coming whippersnapper who's best known for his "You might be a
Creative Genius & Illustrator redneck" routine. Well, my brain must of been affected by his voice or
SUBSCRIPTIONS: THE MINOTAUR is pub- image or somethin' like that, because all of a sudden I thought of
lished quarterly (that'sfour timesayear). Single somethin' I had to write down, so I did. I looked at it again the next
issues are $5 each in the US. and Canada, $7
mornin' and danged if I still didn't think it was pretty funny. So I got to tinkerin'
each everywhere else. A one year subscription
(four issues) is $ 18 in the US. and Canada, $26 around with it a bit and came up with some more ideas to scribble down. So without
everywhere else. any more delay, and a big tip of my ten gallon hat to Jeff Foxworthy, I present:
BACK ISSUES: Every attempt is made to keep
all back issues in stock. The prices for all back Y O U M I G H T BE A M A G I C I A N
volumes and back single issues are the same
as the above subscription and single issue Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. How's everybody doing tonight? Well, you're
prices. However, please note that individual certainly a fine lookin' crowd. You probably can't tell just by lookin' at me, but I'm a
back issues are only available from the current magician. Really! I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I actually own a deck of
volume. Back issues prior to this volume are
only available in complete volume sets. cards that can only do one thing — show a cartoon. Believe it or not, you might just
be a magician and not even know it. It's true. So I have brought with me here a few
REMITTANCE: Make your check or money or-
der payable in U.S. funds out to THE MINOTAUR ways to help you determine if you might be a magician too.
and mail it to the following address:
If you have more thumb tips than you have hands,...you might be a magician.
THE MINOTAUR If you've ever spent twenty bucks for a half dollar,...you might be a magician.
P. O. BOX 470025
BROADVIEW HTS., OH 44147-0025 If you own more pretty silk scarves than any woman you know,...you might be a
If you want to risk sending cash (U.S. money magician.
only, please) in the mail, we're more than wilf-
If the term "Cups and Balls" reminds you of something besides protective sports
ing to accept that too, but we take no respon-
sibility if it doesn't get to us. equipment, there's a chance...you might be a magician.
SUBMISSIONS: Youreditorial submissions (ef- If you play with rubber bands and call it "work,"...you might be a magician.
fects, bits of business, essays, anecdotes, com-
ments, fan mail, etc., and magical ramblings in If you own a bent piece of coat hanger with a cork on one end,...you might be a
general) are not only welcome, but encouraged magician.
in order to assure the future viability of this fine
publication Unless you indicate otherwise, we If you do everything with a cigarette except smoke it, there's a possibility that.. .you
will assume that any portionofyourcorrespon- might be a magician.
dence is fair game for inclusion in a future is-
sue of THE MINOTAUR. We will happily return If you often tell members of the opposite sex to say, "Stop," chances are good
your submissions provided you remember to
that...you might be a magician.
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope
If your children's names are "Atfus," "Olram," and "Biddle," then...you might be a
PERMISSIONS: Nopart of this publication may
be reproduced in any form, by any means magician.
whether currently known or, if you're reading
If you really believe that a coiled, red piece of plastic looks like a candle,...you
this in the future, yet to be invented without the
written permission of Dan and Marv In addi- might be a magician.
tion, the manufacturing and commercial rights
for all items contained in this or any other issue If the words "Chinese," "Indian," and "Hindu" are followed in your vocabulary by
of THE MINOTAUR are reserved by their con- "Rings," "Rope," and "Shuffle," there is a distinct possibility that...you might be a
tributors and THE MINOTAUR. magician.
ADVERTISING: Write to THE MINOTAUR for If your name is Harry or Dave, there's a chance that...you might be a magician.
advertising information. Be sure to include a
telephone number where you can be reached If you see a pretty girl and think to yourself, "I wonder if she'll fit in my Zig-Zag,"
THE MINOTAUR ...you might be a magician.
©Copyright 1995
by Marvin J. Leventhal
If you are not offended by the terms "Stripper," "Rough and Smooth," "Bottom
& Daniel D. Harlan Palm," "Sponge Balls," and "Funkenring," then...you might be a magician.
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the U S A If you find yourself trying to explain the stains in your tuxedo to your dry cleaner,
9/95-29 I'd have to say that...you might be a magician.
THE MINOTAUR Finally, if a broom looks okay to you standing on its handle with its bristles shoved
is printed on 100% recycled paper up under someone's armpit, there's a darn good chance...you might be a magician.
Thanks a lot and good night folks! /p
 OTAU R
Half Bull, Half Magic
© C O P Y R I G H T 1995 BY M A R V I N ). L E V E N T H A L & DANIEL D. H A R L A N V O L U M E 7 N U M B E R 3 / SEPTEMBER 1995 / $5.00

PRIME CUTS
ON THE COVER
Aaron Fisher's journey back in time
with a slightly used stick of spearmint-
flavored chewing gum. Although
Aaron is a self-confessed Beatles fan,
the end result of this journey is more
likely to remind you of "wrap" music.

BIZARRE TRANSPOSITION 3
Marv Leventhal's twist on one of his
A A R O N FISHER'S favorite Paul Harris effects. It's a
double-decker with just a little extra

C U M TOGETHER dressing to give it an added kick.

DH: Aaron Fisher is a theater major at Towson State University in Mary- ON ACAIN OFF AGAIN 6
land eight days a week and often works as a restaurant magician on
Dan Harlan's pseudo puzzle using a
a hard day's night. By the way, did I mention that he is a big fan of The
ring and a rope. Although everything
Beatles (his inspiration for this effect's title)? If you're already familiar
appears to be above board, when you
with Aaron's brand of magic, then you're probably expecting some-
learn what happens under the table, it
thing in the way of cards. Well, although he is known for his great card
will knock you for a loop.
moves, Aaron's long and winding repertoire also contains some equally impressive
non-card effects. Gum Together is one of them, and now here it is, from him to you. WRITE OF WAY ?
The basic idea in Gum Together is that a stick of abc (already been chewed) gum Phil Goldstein's apparently errant
travels back in time in visible stages until it is ultimately restored back into its origi- prediction of a selected card. Things
nal unopened pack. A simple gimmick that takes only a moment or two to prepare take a turn for the worst before mak-
does most of the work, and the end result is a really fun trick. Let's see if you agree. ing a U turn back onto the road to suc-
You'll need to purchase two packs of Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Gum® at cess. You're spectators will be amazed
twenty-five cents a pack. Buy standard packs that contain five sticks and not the at what eventually unfolds.
value packs, which contain many more. You definitely want to use Wrigley's Spear-
mint, since it is one of the stiffest gums in existence, and the stiffer the gum, the INTHEPINK 9
easier the gimmick is to handle. I still remember the look on the convenience store Richard Paddon's chameleon-like
employees' faces when Aaron and I were feeling all of the brands of gum tofindthe method for handing out a business
stiffest. Moments like that make you proud to be a magician. card. It'salsoa magical wayoftapping
Open one of the packs using the little pull tab provided by the thoughtful manufac- into the subconscious mind.
turer. Dump out the five sticks, leaving the empty outer package behind. Flatten the
outer package and tear about a quarter of an inch off its open end to give you a
quarter inch wide loop of package material © (next page). Carefully slide this loop
FROM THE LABYRINTH12
Are advertised illusions quality-made
over the end of the other still sealed pack of gum until it fits snugly near the end with or is quality an illusion? Neil Rozum
the pull tab © (next page). If one were to casually examine this pack, one would not takes over the back page to relate his
find anything unusual, but if one were to rip off the extra loop near the end, it would experience with a well-known prop.
look like one was opening the pack, yet it remains sealed. One is quite sneaky!
 Set aside this prepared sealed pack for a moment and pick up a loose stick of gum.
Push on one end of the stick so that it slides out the opposite end of its paper sleeve,
protruding for about a half an inch (3). Then open up the foil wrapper on the protrud-
ing section and rip it off where it meets the edge of the outer sleeve, thus leaving a
half an inch of gum exposed®. That's all there is to the gimmick! To complete the
set up, place the gimmicked stick in your right pocket and place an ordinary stick of
gum and the prepared sealed pack in your left pocket. You are now ready to perform.
Reach into your left pocket and bring out the prepared pack with the ordinary stick
hidden below it. Without paying too much attention to it, act like you are opening the
pack by tearing off the extra loop and placing the loop on the table. Apparently slide
a stick of gum out as you pull the hidden stick out from below ® . Place the sealed
pack on the table with its supposedly open end toward you and to the left of the torn
loop. Remove the outer paper sleeve from the previously hidden stick, crumple it into
a ball, and place it to the left of the sealed pack. Next remove the foil wrapper, crumple
it, and place it to the left of the crumpled sleeve. Then pop the gum in your mouth and
enjoy it as you place your hands into your pockets in a casual self-satisfied pose.
While your hands are in your pockets, your right hand palms the gimmicked stick
with the exposed gum toward your right fingertips and the other end centered in your
right palm. Look at your audience and realize that you are being impolite. Reach up
to your mouth with your left hand and remove your chewed, saliva-moistened gum
and offer it to someone. He/she probably will not take it. As you make your offer,
bring your right hand out of your pocket up to about chest high level with its palm
facing you. Then as your left hand holding the abc gum moves over to meet your right
hand © , explain that you will try to make it a bit more palatable.
Stretch the gum between your hands a little, playing with it in a socially irrespon-
sible way. Notice that although it leaves a sticky residue behind, it does not adhere
to your fingers, another reason for choosing this brand. After you have disgusted
some and amused others with your ill-mannered display, wad the gum into a ball and
stick it onto the paper sleeve of the gimmicked stick near the exposed gum end©.
Once the gum is stuck in place, turn the gimmick over and stick it gently to your right
fingertips as your left fingers take hold of the exposed end of the gimmicked stick.
Move your left hand slowly toward the left, thus bringing the bare stick of gum into
view and leaving the hidden paper sleeve and foil wrapper behind ® . Stop before the
stick is pulled completely out of the two covers. Then place your right thumb onto the
spot where the gum exits the covers to hold it in place and let go with your left hand.
It looks as though the chewed gum has been restored to its original stick-like shape.
Show the restored stick as you pick up the balled up foil wrapper from the left end of
the row of trash on the table with your left hand.
Display the foil ball in your left hand and the stick of gum in your right. Then pivot
the left end of the gum clockwise 90° with your left hand. Your right fingers hide the
sleeve/wrapper part of the gimmick while the gum protrudes perpendicular to your
right index finger® (next page). Openly use your left fingers to push the gum down
behind your right fingers. The gum will slide down into the foil wrapper and push out
slightly at the bottom of the outer sleeve. Immediately allow the foil ball held in your
left hand to fall into a loose finger palm as your left fingers grab the foil wrapper and
gum in it and slowly pull both out from the bottom of your right hand (jo) (next page).
Stop before the torn edge of the foil wrapper exits the sleeve.
It will look as though the foil wrapper has been restored and rewrapped onto the
stick. Close your right fingers loosely into a fist to completely hide the sleeve in your
right hand as your left hand, still palming the foil ball, reaches down to the table to
pick up the crumpled sleeve. Direct attention momentarily to your right hand by
showing both sides of your fist with the wrapped gum protruding. While attention is
on this action, brush the crumpled sleeve off of the table's edge, allowing it and the
foil ball to fall to the floor unnoticed. Then bring your left hand up as though it is
holding the crumpled sleeve and touch it to the end of the wrapped stick extending
out of the little finger side of your palm up right fist.
Push the wrapped stick into your right fist and then open your empty left hand.
Pause just a moment and then open your right fist to display the fully restored gum/
wrapper/sleeve laying upon its palm®. Keep your right thumb over the torn end of
the foil wrapper to hide the exposed gum. Almost immediately use your left hand to
pivot the fully restored stick around so that it is extending off of the tips of your right
fingers. The sticky chewed gum below acts as the pivot point for this action. You can
now show both sides of the stick as long as your fingers cover the chewed gum.
Once it has been established that the gum is fully rewrapped, place it onto your left
fingers by turning your right hand palm down, thus leaving the chewed gum exposed
on top. Curl your left fingers as you do this to hide the blob of chewed gum. Say to
your audience, "There's only one more step left to completely restore the gum." Bring
your left hand down to the table's edge directly behind the sealed pack of gum and
place your fingers and the gimmick under the edge of the table © . Your left palm
remains in view. Without pausing, your right hand sweeps the sealed pack into your
left palm as you press the chewed gum attached to the gimmick to the underside of
the table's surface. Immediately bring your left hand back up containing only the
sealed pack but keep your fingers curled to conceal this fact.
Use your right hand to apparently pick up the ripped loop as you once again sweep
it over the table's edge and onto the floor. Bring your hands together, palm to palm,
with your right hand on top and flatten and lightly rub them back and forth. Slowly
turn your right hand palm up revealing the sealed pack resting on your left palm.
Then give it to a spectator to keep as a fond reminder of your magical powers.
Horning in: As you've probably figured out, you could perform just the restoration
of the stick without the resealing of the pack if you'd like. Then you could immedi-
ately tear open the restored stick to destroy all the telltale evidence. It's also possible
to restore the gum without actually removing the abc gum from your mouth. Instead,
you could merely act like you are taking it out and then mimic the actions of placing
it upon your right fingertips as you draw out the exposed stick. Of course, you will
miss out on the fun of ditching the gimmick by sticking it to the underside of the table,
which personally is my favorite part of the routine./^-

M A R V LEVENTHAL'S

BIZARRE TRANSPOSITION
ML: Paul Harris's Bizarre Twist from his book Intimate Secrets has al-
ways been one of my favorite effects. In it, a known card, sandwiched
face down between two other face down cards in a perpendicular fash-
ion, instantly and visibly turns face up, or its back changes color. It's
quite startling, and it uses only three ordinary playing cards. As much
as I like the effect, I have always wanted to give some logical reason to
explain the color change of the back of the center card. After thinking about it, this
is what I came up with. Of course, in order to perform Bizarre Transposition you will
need to know how to do Bizarre Twist—but not to worry. Paul graciously consented
to allow me to include an explanation of it here to explain Bizarre Transposition.
For starters, you will need two decks of cards, one blue-backed and one red-backed.
A small setup is required. Remove from each deck the king of hearts, the king of
diamonds, and the ace of spades. Now pick up the red-backed ace of spades and
place it face down in approximately the center of the face down blue-backed deck.
About eight to ten cards below the red-backed ace of spades, place one of the blue-
backed kings face down, and about eight to ten cards below the first blue-backed
king, place the other blue-backed king face down. If you were to spread the blue-
backed deck face up on the table at this point, it would look as depicted i n ® .
Set up the red-backed deck in a similar manner with the blue-backed ace of spades
face down in approximately the center of the face down red-backed deck; ten or so
cards below it place one of the red-backed kings face down; and ten or so cards
below it place the other red-backed king face down. Place both decks in their respec-
tive boxes, put both boxes in a convenient pocket, and you are ready to perform.
 To begin, bring out both decks and hold one in each hand. Then obtain the assis-
tance of a spectator and ask her, "Of the two colors, blue and red, which is your
favorite? Whichever color you choose, that is the deck we'll use. The other deck I'll
set aside." This is a totally free choice — no magician's choice hanky-panky — and
your words convey this without explicitly saying so. You don't care which deck she
chooses, because they are both set up the same. Your performance is identical either
way, so once she names a color, set the other deck aside on the table. For the purpose
of this explanation, let's assume that your spectator selected the blue-backed deck.
Continue by saying, "I'd like to show you something using the two red kings and
the ace of spades." As you say this, remove the blue-backed deck from its box and set
the box aside, far away from the other deck on the table. Then with the selected deck
held face up in left-hand dealing position, begin spreading the cards from your left to
your right hand with their backs toward your audience ® (previous page). When you
come to the first red king, break the spread on the left side of the king, lower your
right hand so that the faces of the cards in your right hand come into your audience's
v i e w © (previous page), and casually toss the king face up on the table.
Now move your right hand back up to its previous position and continue spreading
the cards from your left hand to your right hand. As you approach the next red king
in the spread, lower both your hands so that your audience can see the faces of the
cards held by both hands © . As before, break the spread on the left side of the king
and casually toss it face up on top of the king already on the table.
Again bring your hands together and with the faces of the cards in full view of your
audience (but with their backs out of sight), continue spreading the cards until you
reach the ace of spades. Again break the spread to the left of the ace and toss the ace
face up on top of the kings on the table. Now assemble the two portions of the deck
together as one, square it, and place it next to its empty box on the table. Removing
the two red kings and the ace of spades in this manner serves two purposes. It shows
a lot of blue-backed cards, thus implanting in your spectators' minds the notion that
all the cards are blue-backed, and it hides the red back of the ace of spades.
At this point, your audience should have no reason to believe that the two kings
and the ace on the table have anything other than blue backs. To further implant this
blue-backed notion, you will perform a flushtration count with these three cards as
follows. With the ace face up on top of the two face up kings, square the three card
packet and hold it from above with your right hand in Biddle position©. Turn your
right wrist so that the back of the packet comes into view momentarily©. Then turn
your right wrist back to the position depicted in © and pull the face card of the packet
(in this case the ace) off into left-hand dealing position with your left thumb. Repeat
the actions described in the previous two sentences twice more to take the next two
cards from your right hand into left-hand dealing position. You have apparently shown
the back of each card, but in actuality, you have shown the back of only the bottom
card of the packet three times.
You will now perform my ever-so-slightly modified handling of Bizarre Twist. Move
the ace from the bottom of the packet to the top. Then spread the three cards face up
briefly to show that you hold only three cards and square the packet. As you square
it, obtain a left little finger break above the bottom card in preparation to perform a
double turnover. Then do just that — turn the top two cards over as one. Apparently
you have just turned the ace face down on top of the packet.
Now grip the packet from above in Biddle position with your right hand without
relinquishing your left hand's grip on the packet. Then lift up on the inner end of the
top card with your right thumb. As you do so, your left hand turns palm down ©
while still holding the bottom two cards (the ace and a king). Your right hand and the
card it holds prevents your audience from getting a flash pf the red back of the ace of
spades as your left hand turns palm down.
Momentarily place your right hand's card on the table (your audience thinks it's the
ace) so that your right hand can assist your left hand in repositioning its two cards as
follows. Grab an available corner of the two cards between the thumb and index
finger of your palm up right hand ® . Then relinquish your left hand's grip on the two
cards it holds, turn your left hand palm up, regrip the cards from below at their short
ends between your left thumb and middle finger, and relinquish your right hand's
grip on the cards. The tip of your left index finger bows the cards slightly by pushing
up from below on the center of the bottom card ® . These two cards should be per-
fectly square. If not, use your right hand to square them. Also, the long sides of the
two cards should run parallel to your body.
To continue, pick up the card on the table, supposedly the ace, with your palm
down right hand at one of its short ends, fingers on top, thumb below. You are now
going to apparently slide the face down ace (actually a king) between and perpen-
dicular to the two face down kings (actually one face down king covering the face up
ace). What you actually do is place your right hand's card below the two cards held
by your left hand. That is, lower the outer long sides of the cards held in your left hand
slightly and line up the outer end of your right hand's card as if to push it between the
two cards in your left hand. However, instead slide your right hand's card up against
the bottom of the lowermost card in your left hand and slide your right hand's card
forward until an equal amount of this supposed ace protrudes out both sides of your
left hand's cards. Then release your right hand's grip on its card®. The tip of your
left index finger holds all three cards in place from below.
You will now transfer this three card setup from your left hand to your right hand
by gripping the center of it between the tips of your right thumb and index, middle
and ring fingers, thumb on top, fingers below. A short end of the bottom card (sup-
posedly the ace) should point toward the fork of your right thumb®. You will now
cause the ace to apparently turn face up between the two face down kings. It's not
difficult to do, but there is a bit of a knack to it. Simply press the tips of your right
thumb and middle finger firmly against each other with the cards between them.
Then in one quick movement, pull inward on the bottom card with your right ring
finger and push outward with your right index finger® (view from below).
As a result of friction, the bottom two cards should both turn counterclockwise a
quarter turn, thus making it appear as if the ace instantly and visually turned face up
between the two face down kings®. Performed under the cover of a quick out and
back shaking motion, the ace turning face up is a real eye-popper. That's my han-
dling of Bizarre Twist, which also includes my handling of the one-handed Cros Twist
from Paul Harris's Las Vegas Close-Up.
The patter accompanying this Bizarre Twist sequence is mostly explanatory in
nature. With my words matching my actions, I basically say something like, "If I place
the ace between the two kings, all it takes is a quick shake, and a strange thing
happens — the ace turns face up! Here, let me show you again."
Turn the two kings face up, place the face up ace on top of them, and perform
Bizarre Twist a second time with similar patter but ending with, "Let me show you one
last time." Then perform it a third time but with the following changes. Instead of
performing a double turnover and turning your left hand palm down with the bottom
two cards, turn your left hand palm down first, glide the bottom card back with your
left fingers® (next page, view from below), remove the center card with your right
fingers, and place it on the table. Square the two cards in your left hand from below
with your right thumb and fingers and then continue as previously described.
This time instead of the ace turning face up, its back will appear to change color,
in this example from blue to red, so this time say, "Again I place the ace between the
kings, but this time watch what happens when I wave the cards over the red deck."
Before causing the color change to happen, wave the three card set up in a circular
motion over the red deck, which is still in its box on the table. Then suddenly do your
quick out and back shaking motion to perform the color change and say, "Instead of
turning face up, that causes the back of the ace to change to red, but it really doesn't
change to red. It actually only changes places." Now show both sides of all three
cards and lay them face down on the table.
Finally, pick up the red deck, remove it from its box, and fan it face up to show it to
be pretty much an ordinary deck, which it is. Then resquare the deck, and ribbon
spread it face down on the table® (next page). One blue-backed card will show in
the middle of the red-backed spread. Say, "What I mean to say is the blue-backed ace
of spades actually changed places with the ace of spades from this red deck, because
in the middle of this deck is now the blue-backed ace of spades." As you end this last
sentence, remove the blue-backed ace of spades from the centerof the ribbon spread,
turn it face up to show it to be the ace of spades, and then graciously accept your
audience's thunderous applause.
Horning in (DH): Marv doesn't claim Bizarre Transposition to be an improvement
on Bizarre Twist. It's just an alternate presentation that, like Bizarre Twist, "has some
strengths and weaknesses to consider. First its weaknesses — Bizarre Transposition
does require you to carry around two decks, and it does require a little more setup.
However, its strength lies in its logical explanation for the color change at the end.
Add in the kicker revelation of the odd-backed ace in the other deck, and you have
an alternate presentation that's well worth giving a try.
In closing, let me express my appreciation to Paul Harris for allowing us to explain
Bizarre Twist here. If you'd like to show your appreciation to Paul, you might want to
get yourself a complete set of Paul's soon-to-be-released three volume Art ofAston-
ishment books when they come out. Paul tells us that absolutely everything that he
has ever had in print (even stand alone manuscripts like Immaculate Connection) will
appear in these books along with more than seventy, that's right, count 'em, seventy
new items. Look for them soon at a magic shop near you./p

DAN HARLAN'S

O N A G A I N OFF A O A I N
DH: Here's something you might want to try performing in conjunction
with a ring and rope routine. These moves are a little different from
most ring and rope moves, because the actions must be performed
while your hands are hidden. Because it can't be done openly, I like to
present this as a bit of a puzzle instead of a truly magical effect. I talk
about the kind of complicated puzzles that have twisted loops of metal
and all kinds of strings and ropes connecting them together that can be found in
some novelty stores. Then I offer to show a simple variation of one of these puzzles.
After allowing two spectators to examine a ring and a rope, the ends of the rope are
held by them, and its center is placed under the table. The ring then penetrates onto
the center of the rope. After displaying the ring on the rope, it penetrates off visibly.
This sequence is repeated, but this time after penetrating off visibly, the ring then
visibly penetrates on the rope again while its ends remain held by your spectators.
Everything may then be handed out for examination by your spectators again.
You need two identical rings about three inches in diameter and a rope about five
feet long. You'll also need to learn a special hidden looping maneuver, which should
be done without looking at your hands. I have let the illustrations do most of the
talking for me here. Since "one picture is worth a thousand words," I figure I have
saved seven thousand words that can be put to better use in explaining other effects.
On Again Off Again is performed seated at a table. One ring is hidden on your lap.
The other ring is displayed to your audience on the rope, both of which are held
between your hands as depicted in © . Granted, this is an unnatural way to hold the
ring and rope, but you must get your audience accustomed to it, since it is necessary
to hold things this way later on in order to achieve the desired results.
Talk about the puzzles as you unthread the ring and hand it to a spectator to ex-
amine. After having the rope examined by a second spectator, place the center of the
rope in your lap and have the ends held by both spectators on opposite sides of you.
Say, "Allow me to show you this puzzle." Put the ring in your lap and pull the center
of the rope through it with your left hand © . Place your right hand directly under the
rightmost piece of rope and your right little finger inside the ring ® . Put the center
loop held by your left hand over your right index, middle and ring fingers®. Curl in
your right fingers and place your thumb over the spot where the rope enters and
leaves your right fist. This is the secret looping maneuver that you should be able to
do in a matter of seconds without looking at your hands.
If you now also hold the rope and ring in your left hand as you did at the outset with
no secret loop in it, everything will again appear as it did at the outset©. Bring the
ring up from your lap to show it on the rope as you ask your spectators to release their
ends. Have one spectator grab the bottom of the ring. Say, "The puzzle isn't how the
ring gets on the rope, but how it comes off." Pull the rope "through" the ring by releas-
ing the hidden loop in your right hand while holding the rope pinched by your right
thumb as you pull upward. The ring seems to melt off the rope, leaving your spectator
holding just the ring. Prompt him to reexamine the ring.
With attention directed on the ring, get one end of the rope into your lap. As you
reach into your lap to retrieve that end, thread it through the duplicate ring. Then
bring the end back onto the table and leave the center (with the duplicate ring on it)
in your lap. Offer to repeat the puzzle in a slightly different way. Have your spectators
hold the ends of the rope again. Take the ring from your spectator and place it sup-
posedly into your lap but actually slide it under your leg. Leave it there and immedi-
ately perform the secret looping maneuver with the duplicate ring on the rope©.
Curl in your right fingers, and the ring will momentarily appear to be hanging free
of the rope and on your right little finger as depicted by the right hand in © , but you
don't stop there. Quickly reloop the rope through the ring and conceal another loop
in your left fist in exactly the same way as in your right fist. Depicted in © is how
things should look prior to closing both your hands into fists. Once completed, the
ring, which is actually threaded on the rope, will look like it is threaded on the rope.
Kind of redundant, eh? You'll see why it has to be like this in a moment.
Now bring the ring up out of your lap to display it threaded on the rope. Tell your
spectators not to let go of the ends and then say, "This time the puzzle isn't how the
ring gets on the rope..." Release the loop in your left hand as you swing your right
hand down holding the ring © . The ring comes " o f f of the rope and dangles from
your right little finger. Then continue by saying,".. .or how it comes off. This time the
puzzle is how it gets back on again." Make a throwing motion toward the center of
the rope with your right little finger and release the ring and the looped rope. The ring
penetrates back onto the rope and spins on its center. You can now leave the rope
and ring with your spectators for them to examine again if you or they like.
Horning in (ML): This might seem a bit complicated if you followed along without
rings and rope at hand, but it's really quite easy to learn once you actually try it with
props in hand. As for the display position of the ring on the rope being somewhat
unnatural, I think this is offset by the fact that it looks very convincing. Take a look
back at © again. It sure looks like the ring has to be on the rope to me, even when
it actually isn't, and so it will to your spectators too.^£-

PHIL GOLDSTEIN'S

WRITE OF W A Y
ML: Phil Goldstein has to be one of the best known names in the world
of magic. Leaf through the pages of just about any magic magazine
(the one you are holding will do nicely), and you are bound sooner or
later to see his name somewhere in print. It might be as a columnist; it
might be as the target of an editorial rebuttal, or it might be as an oc-
casional contributor. The latter is the case here with Write of Way, an
entertaining prediction effect that marks Phil's eighth appearance in THE MINOTAUR.
In Write of Way, an envelope containing a prediction is given to a spectator for
safekeeping. A packet of cards is introduced, shuffled, and then spread to allow your
participant to point to five different cards. As each card is indicated, it is outjogged
for about half its length. Your spectator is then asked to decide which of these five
cards is to be the final selection. After one card is indicated, your spectator peeks at
it, then pockets it, and the four unchosen cards are set aside.
The prediction envelope is now opened, and a folded paper inside it is partially
withdrawn to reveal that it bears the name of a playing card. Your spectator regret-
tably informs you that the name of the card revealed is not the selected card. "Oh,"
you say. "Well, how about this one?" You pull the prediction paper a little further out
of its envelope, thus revealing another card's name written beneath thefirstone.
This secondary prediction is also deemed incorrect by your spectator. "Hmmm,"
you muse. "How about one of these?" you ask as you pull the prediction paper all the
way out of its envelope, revealing yet two more card names written on it. These are
also refuted by your spectator as the selection. Just when it seems that your predic-
tion is a total failure, you partially unfold the paper to show that there is additional
text written on it. It reads YOU WILL NOT SELECT above the list of card names just
revealed. Your prediction is therefore correct — if not terribly impressive.
To save face, you ask your spectator to bring out the pocketed selection. Suppose,
for example, it is the three of hearts. You now unfold the prediction paper fully, and
it is seen to bear an additional message: YOU WILL SELECT THE THREE OF HEARTS
— a much more impressive prediction. As a surprise coda to these proceedings, you
turn over the four unchosen cards placed aside earlier, and they prove to be the very
same four cards as the first four cards named on the prediction paper.
This routine stems from R. Paul Wilson's Written Wrongs in Chaos Theories (1995).
With Write of Way, that effect has mutated somewhat, and the method is different.
Your prediction message is constructed from an eight and a half by eleven inch sheet
of paper. With the paper oriented so that it is taller than it is wide, in its upper left
quadrant write in large letters the following: YOU WILL NOT SELECT. In its lower left
quadrant write the names of four indifferent cards. In its upper right quadrant write
YOU WILL SELECT. Finally, in its lower right quadrant write the name of a card you
wish to force, in our example THE THREE OF HEARTS © (previous page).
Now fold the paper in half so that its right half is folded neatly and precisely behind
its left half©. Continue by folding the paper in half again, this time so that its top half
goes precisely behind its bottom half©. Now get yourself an opaque envelope that
is slightly larger than your folded prediction paper. Open its flap and slide the folded
paper into this envelope so that when you pull it out later, the name of the top indif-
ferent card written on it will come into view first®.
The deck of cards used to accomplish this effect is special (you didn't think you
could perform a miracle like this with a regular deck, did you?). Its bottom four cards
match the names of the indifferent cards written on your folded prediction paper.
The rest of the deck is made up of forty-eight duplicates of the card you wish to force
on your unsuspecting spectator. In our case that would be the three of hearts©. All
the cards should have the same back design. Once you have this deck assembled,
place it in a matching card box and get ready to astound your audience.
In performance, hand the prediction envelope to a willing spectator, ostensibly for
safekeeping. Then bring out your special deck, remove it from its box, and give it a
riffle shuffle. Just take care not to flash the faces of the cards during the shuffle and
make sure that at the end of the shuffle, the four indifferent cards that started out on
the bottom of the deck are still on the bottom. Simply have your spectator cut the
pack into two approximately equal halves and then riffle shuffle the two halves to-
gether, making sure that the four indifferent cards are the first four cards riffled.
With the deck apparently shuffled, spread it in a face down row on the table and
invite the spectator holding your envelope to point to five cards. As each one is des-
ignated, outjog it for about half its length © . Now ask your spectator to remove one
of the five outjogged cards and note it without showing anyone else what it is.
To continue, neatly gather up the spread on the table, keeping the four outjogged
cards still outjogged. Then pick the deck up and square it in left-hand dealing posi-
tion, again keeping the four outjogged cards still outjogged © . However, as you
square the deck, obtain a left little finger break above the four indifferent cards on the
bottom of the deck ® (previous page). Then grasp the inner end of the deck from
above with your right hand, thumb on one long side, fingers on the other long side,
as if about to perform a Hindu Shuffle©.
Instead of a Hindu Shuffle, your left hand slides forward to strip the outjogged
cards from the front of the deck. However, as it does so, it secretly moves the four
cards below your left little finger break forward with i t ® . As a result, the bottom four
cards of the deck are secretly added below the four outjogged cards as they are
stripped out of the deck, a maneuver you may recognize as the Vernon Strip-Out
Addition. In this case, however, maintain your left little finger break between the
former four bottom cards of the deck and the four stripped out cards©.
The above actions take but a moment and are performed as your spectator is look-
ing at the selection. Now instruct your spectator to pocket the selection. As your
instructions are carried out, your right hand places the deck square on top of the
cards in your left hand for just an instant and steals just the four cards above your left
little finger break onto the bottom of the deck. Immediately table your left hand's
packet and your right hand's talon to your left and right respectively. Now take your
prediction envelope back from your spectator, open it, and pull out enough of the
paper inside to display the name of the first indifferent card written on it.
Ask if this is the name of the selected card. Upon receiving a negative response,
pull the paper out enough to reveal the name of a second indifferent card. This will
also be rejected. Then pull the paper completely out of the envelope to display the
remainder of the list of indifferent cards, which will also be denied. Now unfold the
paper once to bring the YOU WILL NOT SELECT message into view. At this point,
your audience will think that this is all a gag. Then continue as described at the
beginning of this write up to bring the effect to its legitimate and startling conclusion.
Horning in: There is little 1 can add except to say that I think Phil has come through
with another winner. The only possible problem you might run into is if your spec-
tator points to one of the bottom four cards of the deck for you to outjog. One way to
avoid this is to keep the bottom five cards or so scrunched together as you spread the
deck. After all, your spectator can't point to a card they can't see, now can t h e y ? ^

RICHARD PADDON'S

I N T H E PINK
M L Over twenty-five years ago, Richard Paddon's great aunt took him
on his first visit to a magic shop and ignited an interest in magic that
continues to burn to this very day. Now a high school science teacher
living in a suburb of the city of Newcastle on the east coast of Australia,
Richard is the only magician there specializing in restaurant magic. Of
course, once American magicians read this, they'll no doubt head
straight for the land of opportunity down under in Newcastle. Fortunately, Richard is
a fine magician, capable of heading off any possible American invasion as evidenced
by In the Pink — his colorful and magical way of handing out a business card.
Here's the bare bones of the effect. A small bag is introduced and placed onto the
table. A packet of approximately twenty cards, each with a different color written on
it, is then introduced, freely shown, shuffled, and spread. A spectator selects a card,
which is placed face down in front other without her seeing the color writton on the
face of it. The small bag is then opened and emptied onto the table. A purple marking
pen and one of your business cards are seen, and the bag is shown to be otherwise
empty. You then ask your spectator to take a peek at the color she selected and verify
that it matches the color of your prediction, that is, the color of the marking pen.
Unfortunately, her color is pink, not purple. Undaunted, you take the cap off the
pen and rub its tip across the back of your business card to show that it writes in the
color purple. As you do so, a message in pink writing also slowly appears. Much to
your relief it reads, "You will select pink," thus preventing you from feeling blue.
 In thePink was inspired by 2.5Star Variation from Paul Hallas's The Table-Hopper's
Source Book, in which a correctly predicted ESP symbol appears on the back of a
business card. This, in turn, was based upon laser Gazer from Larry Becker's Stun-
ners. Becker's effect used a set of marking pens consisting of seven different brilliant
colored erasable pens and one eraser pen. With this set, after drawing a patch of
color with one of the seven colored pens, the patch could be written on with the
eraser pen to produce white writing on a colored background.
A similar, yet slightly different set of marking pens is used for In the Pink. Needed
is a set of Crayola® Changeables™, which are available at most of your better toy or
office supply stores. The set I purchased consisted of six changeable markers whose
writing color could be changed with one of the two supplied color changer markers.
So for example, if you wrote something with the purple changeable marker included
in the set and then wrote over it with one of the color changer markers, the purple
writing would change to pink.
Alternately, if you wrote something first with one of the color changer markers and
then colored over it with the purple pen, the purple pen would write in pink whenever
it crossed over the writing made by the color changer marker but purple everywhere
else. It's this alternate use of this set of marking pens, taken together with the fact
that the color changer markers write invisibly, that makes In the Pink possible.
To perform In the Pink, a little advance preparation is necessary. First, you must
obscure the fact that the purple marker is a changeable marker by either covering up
the telltale printing on the barrel of the pen with an adhesive sticker or by scraping
it off with the sharp edge of the blade of a pen knife by running the blade back and
forth repeatedly across the writing on the barrel of the pen © (previous page).
Next you have to conceal the fact that one end of the purple marker has a pink
"plug" in it, the color that the color changer marker turns purple into. To do so, pick
out one of the other markers whose "plug" most closely resembles purple. In my set,
that would be the yellow marker with the fuchsia plug. Using your pen knife again,
wedge the sharp edge of its blade between the fuchsia plug and the barrel of the
yellow marker and slowly work the plug out of the end of that marker© (previous
page). Do likewise with the pink plug in the purple marker. Now replug the yellow
marker with the pink plug and the purple marker with the fuchsia plug. The purple
marker now appears to have a purple plug (not exactly, but close enough).
Thank goodness the previous preparation is a one time deal. However, for each
performance of In the Pink, you must prepare one of your business cards as follows.
By the way, it helps if your business card stock is white to allow the colors written on
it later to be easily identifiable. On the back of one of your business cards, using one
of the color changer markers, print the message YOU WILL SELECT PINK in all capi-
tal letters for better visibility later. Right now, of course, the message is invisible.
Allow the message to dry and then place it and the purple marker inside a small bag
or envelope© (previous page). Place the bag or envelope in a convenient pocket.
There's one final bit of one time preparation. Get yourself forty blank-faced cards.
Spray the blank side of twenty of these cards with roughing spray. Allow the spray to
dry overnight and then write PINK on the roughed side of these twenty cards using
a permanent marking pen @ . Be sure to spray first and write second in order to
prevent your writing from running or smudging. Now spray the backs of the remain-
ing twenty cards with roughing spray and allow these cards to dry overnight also.
Then write the name of a different color on the face of each of these cards, insuring
that PINK is also written on one of them © . By the way, allowing all the cards to dry
overnight allows the odor of the roughing spray to dissipate from them completely.
The next day assemble the cards in roughed pairs, that is, place the roughed face
of each "pink" card against the roughed back of an "indifferent color" card©. Then
place the twenty face up pairs on top of each other, face up, to assemble the pack. The
preparation of these cards was done to enable you to easily force the color pink. If
you can convincingly force the color pink without using this forcing pack, by all means
go right ahead. However, if you can't, snap a rubber band around this pack, place it
in the pocket containing your little bag or envelope, and you are all set to perform.
 Start out by talking about the importance of color to humans. "Color is an integral
part of our everyday language. We not only have many sayings with color in them,
like I'm green with envy, but many songs, movies, and books use color in their titles."
Cite an of example of each, such as Yellow Submarine, The Blue Lagoon, and The Red
Badge of Courage, to illustrate this concept.
"In fact, everyone has a favorite color, but this only represents our favorite con-
scious color. You may not be aware of this, but we all also have a favorite subcon-
scious color, which I've discovered I can determine by just studying a person for a
moment or two. Allow me to demonstrate." Now peruse your audience for a moment
or two as you take the little bag or envelope out of your pocket.
Select a spectator to assist you and direct your attention to her as you say, "After
studying the audience, I believe I know most everyone's favorite subconscious color,
but I selected you to assist me, because I believe your favorite subconscious color is
the same color as the one I have predicted inside this little bag." Place the little bag
(or envelope as the case may be) in front of you on the table.
As you remove the pack of cards from your pocket, continue by saying, "To show
that what I say is true, we will use this pack of cards to determine your favorite sub-
conscious color." Remove the rubber band from around the pack, flip it face up, and
casually deal each roughed pair of cards as if it were a single card onto the table one
at a time in a single face up pile © (previous page). As you do so, name each color
as it is dealt. This shows the colors on the cards to be all different without actually
saying so. Now pick up the pile, flip it face down, square it, and give it a couple of cuts,
being careful not to split up any of the roughed pairs.
Using firm pressure, fan the face down packet in your left hand to keep the pairs
from separating ® (previous page) and ask your spectator to touch any card. Be-
cause the top card of each roughed pair is a "pink" card, she can only select the color
pink. Take all the cards above the card she touched in your right hand ® , square the
cards in each hand, and place your right hand's cards below your left hand's cards,
thus bringing her card to the top of the pack. Deal just this single card top card© face
down in front of your spectator without her seeing the color written on it (which of
course is pink) as you explain, "Since you could have touched any card, but you
touched this one, the color on this card must be your favorite subconscious color.
Now direct your attention back to your small bag. "Remember, this bag contains
my prediction." Open the bag and empty its contents onto the table and show the bag
to be empty. Say, "As you can see, I've used a purple marking pen as my prediction.
For the first time, take a peek at the color you subconsciously selected." After she has
done so ask, "Do they match?" She will, of course, answer no. Then nervously ask
her, "What color did you select?" When she replies pink, turn the card over in disbelief
for all to see. After the usual audience reaction to the "magician in trouble" syn-
drome, pick up the purple marker, remove it's cap, and rub its tip across the top
portion of the back of your business card, slightly above your invisible message ® .
As you do so say, "I really thought this was your favorite subconscious color."
To conclude, continue brushing the marker over the whole back of the card from
top to bottom. Do this slowly and gently so as not to smudge the hidden message.
The previously invisible message will begin to appear in pink as the purple marker
brushes over i t ® . There's no need to say much here. It's really quite striking to watch
the pink message appear on the purple background. You can then sum things up by
saying, "I guess 1 predicted your favorite subconscious color after all," and hand the
card to your spectator for what will no doubt become a cherished souvenir.
Horning in: The first time I gave In the Pink a try, it received the same very good
audience reaction that Richard tells me he receives with it, and why shouldn't it? It's
different; it has a very visual ending; and because it's colorful, it plays well for both
adults and youngsters alike. Here's one final note. In mentioning the names of songs,
movies, and books that have colors in their titles, I would avoid using titles that
contain either purple or pink. After all, you don't want to inadvertently draw atten-
tion to these colors prematurely. Therefore, you'd probably be best advised to keep
The Color Purple, and The Pink Panther to yourself, fp-
 FROM THE LABYRINTH
"Half Bull, Half Magic"

MARV LEVENTHAL ML: Hey! Any of you out there ever read the contents of the big vertical
Editor-in-Chief rectangle directly to your left? Granted, the print in it is kind of small,
DAN HARLAN but if you look real close, somewhere it says that your editorial submis-
Creative Genius & Illustrator sions are not only welcome but encouraged. Now don't get us wrong
SUBSCRIPTIONS: THE MINOTAUR is pub- — we greatly appreciate all the original effects you have sent our way,
lished quarterly (that's four times ayear) Single but editorial submissions don't have to just be effects. If you've got
issues are $5 each in the US and Canada, $7
each everywhere else. A one year subscription
something to say, anything even remotely related to magic, be it serious or whimsi-
(four issues) is $ 18 in the U S and Canada, $26 cal, thought provoking or entertaining, send it our way, and who knows—you might
everywhere else. just find yourself on the coveted back page of THE MINOTAUR some day.
BACK ISSUES: Every attempt is made to keep Such is the case here with my good friend and fellow magician Neil Rozum. Neil is
all back issues in stock The prices for all back
volumes and back single issues are the same an excellent stage magician who lives in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and like most
as the above subscription and single issue stage magicians, he has his share of amusing stories of things that have gone awry
prices However, please note that individual
somewhere along the line in his act. The following is one of my favorites. So now
back issues are only available from the current
volume Back issues prior to this volume are here's Neil to tell you about "The Night the Lights Went Out in Cleveland."
only available in complete volume sets.
Afteryears of lugging heavy illusions around, 1 thought it might be nice to have an
REMITTANCE: Make your check or money or- eye-catching illusion that didn't require a big van to haul it around. Then a magazine
der payable in US. funds out to THE MINOTAUR
ad for Four Light Bulbs Through Girl caught my eye. It was a relatively small and light
and mail it to the following address:
illusion, only thirty-two pounds, yet it was flashy as well. So I called up the dealer. He
THE MINOTAUR informed me that each one was built to order, meaning a two to three week wait if
P. O. BOX 470025
I wanted one. Once assured that it was truly a quality product, I placed my order.
BROADVIEW HTS., OH 44147-0025
If you want to risk sending cash (U S money
After four weeks of awaiting its arrival, I called the dealer. "The manufacturer is a
only, please) in the mail, we're more than will- little behind schedule," I was told, "but yours is next to be built." At seven weeks, the
ing to accept that too, but we take no respon- dealer told me that it was built, but that he was now waiting on the travel case, which
sibility if it doesn't get to us.
also had to be built, to arrive so that he could ship it. Finally, after two months of
SUBMISSIONS: Your editorial submissions (ef- anticipation, it arrived at my doorstep on a cold dark winter's night.
fects, bits of business, essays, anecdotes, com-
ments, fan mail, etc , and magical ramblings in I carefully opened my new investment, screwed in the four long light bulbs and
general) are not only welcome, but encouraged
powered it up. My new prize glowed brightly. I then proceeded to test it by sliding the
in order to assure the future viability of this fine
publication Unless you indicate otherwise, we handle holding the four bulbs into the empty body stock. It worked like a charm. Now
will assume that any portion of your correspon- I needed a victim, I mean assistant, for the real test. Since my wife Janet was conve-
dence is fair game for inclusion in a future is-
niently in an adjacent room, I casually asked her, "Could you try this out with me?"
sue of THE MINOTAUR We will happily return
your submissions provided you remember to "This is safe, isn't it?" she inquired as I locked her into the stock. "I just tried it, and
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope
it worked fine," I replied. Of course, I wasn't in it when I tried it, but I figured why
PERMISSIONS: No part of thispublication may bother her with such trivial details. Besides, the dealer had assured me that it was a
be reproduced in any form, by any means
quality product. Another ad even touted it as being built right for safety.
whether currently known or, if you're reading
this in the future, yet to be invented without the With the stock securely around my wife's waist, I flipped the switch, sending mil-
written permission of Dan and Marv In addi-
tion, the manufacturing and commercial rights lions of electrons coursing through the four incandescent bulbs. I then began to slide
for all items contained in this or any other issue the bulbs into the stock, and before you could say Needle through Balloon, the four
of THE MINOTAUR are reserved by their con- bulbs began to penetrate my wife's midsection like hot knives through butter! Then
tributors and THE MINOTAUR.
all of a sudden it happened — sparks flew, and we were thrown into total darkness.
ADVERTISING: Write to THE MINOTAUR for
advertising information Be sure to include a The <§#$%* thing had shorted out causing several circuit breakers to blow. "Get it
telephone number where you can be reached off me!" my wife screamed. As if things weren't bad enough, now the handle was
THE MINOTAUR
stuck fast in the stock. I quickly fumbled in the dark for the hot electrical cord and
© Copyright 1995 yanked it out of the wall. Then after some intense jiggling, 1 was able to free the
by Marvin J Leventhal handle and extricate my wife from the stock. Finally, I found my way to the power
& Daniel D Harlan
All Rights Reserved
panel and reset the breakers, thus throwing us back into the light again.
Printed in the U.S.A.
11/95-30
To make a long story short, eventually I rebuilt this "quality" illusion so that 1 could
use it without fear of electrocution. Even so, my wife refuses to try it again. Luckily,
THE MINOTAUR
I have since found a new victim, my sister Rita. Not having bored her with the lurid
is printed on 100% recycled paper
details of my wife's predicament, she willingly assists me with Four Light Bulbs
Through Girl. As a result, I'm now electrifying audiences with it instead of my wife! /p
PAN HARLAN

/•t Creativity, and Confidence A

Is t h e r e m o r e t o m a g i c t h a n just tricks?
Register now to attend A r e t h e r e w a y s I c a n b e m o r e c r e a t i v e ?
Pan's private workshop H o w c a n I m a k e p e o p l e r e m e m P e r m e ?
I'd l i k e t o u s e m y o r i g i n a l i d e a s . P u t h o w ?
for answers about W h a t c a n I d o t o m a k e m y m a g i c b e t t e r ?
H o w c a n I m a k e m y p e r f o r m a n c e u n i q u e ?
the creative process! Is t h e r e a m e t h o d f o r c r e a t i n g n e w r o u t i n e s ?

A maximum of 10 p e o p l e will b e allowed to register in e a c h city

AL Birmingham, Mar 13 Pensacola, Feb 26 Kalamazoo, July 20 Cincinnati, May 21
Huntsville, Mar 14 Sarasota. Feb 9 Lansing, July 18 Cleveland, May 14
AR Fort Smith, Nov 9 Tampa/St Pete, Feb 8 Saginaw, July 17 Columbus, May 20 Corpus Crsty, Sep 12
Little Rock, Nov 8 GA Atlanta, Mar 11 MN Minneapolis, June 10 Dayton, May 22 Dallas, Sep 3
Searcy, Nov 7 Macon, Mar 12 MO Kansas City, Nov 4 Findlay, May 23 Harlingen, Sep 11
AZ Flagstaff, Jan 23 1A Davenport, June 12 Springfield, Aug 6 Toledo, May 24 Houston, Sep 16
Phoenix, Jan 29 Des Moines, June 11 Springfield, Nov 5 Youngstown, May 17 Lubbock, Sep 6
Show Low, Jan 25 St Louis, Aug 5 OK Oklahoma City, Sep 4 Midland, Sep 7
IL Chicago, June 13
Tucson, Jan 26 MS Jackson, Feb 24 Tulsa, Nov 11 San Antonio, Sep 10
Urbana, Aug 7
CA Hollywood, Jan 13 Charlotte, Mar 19 OR Eugene, Oct 3 Tyler, Sep 18
IN Evansville, Aug 10 NC
Irvine, Jan 12 Indianapolis, Aug 8 Raleigh, Mar 20 Portland, Oct 2 VA Lynchburg, Aug 22
Monterey, Nov 23 KS Wichita, Nov 12 Wilmington, Mar 21 Salem, Oct 4 Norfolk, Aug 24
Palm Desert, Jan 10 KY Louisville, Aug 9 NH Manchester, Apr 16 PA Allentown, Apr 30 Richmond, Aug 23
Redlands. Jan 9 LA Baton Rouge, Feb 23 NJ Bloomfield, May 2 Harrisburg, Aug 28 Roanoke, Aug 21
Sacramento, Nov 21 Lake Charles, Feb 22 NM Albuquerque, Jan 24 Philadelphia, May 1 WA Seattle, Oct 1
San Diego. Jan 11 Layfayette, Feb 21 NV Las Vegas, Jan 8 Pittsburgh, May 18 Tacoma, Oct 5
San Francisco, Nov 22 New Orleans, Feb 20 Reno, Nov 20 RI Providence, Apr 17 WI Madison, June 18
CT Hartford, Apr 18 Shreveport, Sep 17 NY Albany, Apr 19 SC Charleston, Mar 22 Milwaukee, June 17
DE Dover, Aug 26 MA Boston, Apr 15 Binghampton, Apr 29 Columbia, Mar 23
FL Daytona Beach, Feb 7 MD Baltimore, Aug 27 Buffalo, Apr 23 TN Knoxville, Mar 18 CANADA
Ft Walton Bch, Feb 25 Hagerstown, Aug 20 New York, May 3 Memphis, Nov 6 BC Vancouver, Oct 7
Ft Lauderdale. Feb 12 WashngtnDC, Aug 19 Rochester. Apr 22 Murfreesboro, Mar 15 ON Hamilton, July 25
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Miami, Feb 10 Detroit, July 16 OH Akron, May 16 TX Amarillo, Sep 5 Toronto. July 26
Orlando, Feb 5 Grand Rapids, July 19 Canton, May 15 Austin, Sep 9 Windsor, July 23

The focus of the workshop is n o t on methods, although some may be discussed. We will work on improving all of your magic
by applying the true secrets of performance. My advice, techniques, and theories will inspire you to create original, audience-
pleasing magic that gets y o u remembered. Magic desperately needs a new attitude; let's get together to make it happen.
G U A R A N T E E D
Register early b ysending $ 4 0 to: You will leave m y workshop
Dan Harlan with new ideas, more
Workshop confidence in your
PO Box 30470 performance, and the ability
North Las Vegas NV 89036-0470 to structure an entertaining
You'll receive confirmation by mail. presentation. If you don't, I
It is never too early to guarantee your spot, will gladly refund your
since y o u can request a refund at any time for any reason. workshop fee!
Walk-ins will only; be allowed if there is room.
Food and beverages will be provided for the group! This will be a fun, exciting, and intense workshop.
If you would like any further info, call Dan at 702-644-4161 or e-mail TrickBoy@aol.com.
KFTUJW O F T m FVTL MUTANT HELLHOUND
F L F S W - F A T W O WWOTAUR PART V N
A AAaaahhrrgh! THE MINOTAUR is What's this nonsense
Aah! You you're screaming
here! I've been waiting SIX MONTHS
scared me! about a guitar that's
/ for this day!
\
It's finally here. six month's late.
All the waiting \
has driven me
INSANE!
You could say
I've flipped-out!

Not a GUITAR! The MIN-O-TAUK. Things aren't always as they seem.

It's six months late. See, my last You see, the NEW issue is dated
issue is dated JUNE 1995; and this September, so it's 5 months late. And
is December! Hah, that's six months! you got THAT June
issue in September,
/ Oh, Silly...
so... IT was also
\ 3 months late.
See, it's late, but
consistant! They
are still only one
issue behind.

Plus, Pan £ Marv assure me that Well, like I said before...

they are doing everything they Things aren't always
can to get back on schedule. as they seem!
Jeez, I guess there's no reason
to be scared then!
\
 OTAU R
Half Bull, Half Magic
© C O P Y R I G H T 1995 BY M A R V I N J. L E V E N T H A L * . DANIEL D. H A R L A N V O L U M E 7 N U M B E R 4 / DECEMBER 1995 / $5.00

BIT sw
B'O"
5'6"
B'O"
5'6"
PRIME CUTS
ON THE COVER
Anthony Lindan's memory enhance-
ment technique for indelibly etching
your name forever in the minds of your
spectators. There will be absolutely no
mistaking who you are anymore once
a positive I.D. has been made.

JOKING QUEENS 4
Tom Craven's packet trick that shows
A N T H O N Y LIN DAN'S just how far a little curiosity and inge-
nuity will take you. His queens may
P O S I T I V E LP. not be stand-up comedians, but they
do sometimes turn into jokers.

HIDDEN LOOPHOLE
ML: When it comes to ways of getting a business card into the hands
of a prospective client, the name of Canadian magician Anthony Lindan 6
always comes to my mind. That's because Anthony has come up with Eric Wolf's twist on the traditional
several magical and ingenious business card effects that accomplish ring and string release. Rest assured
just that. Dan and I have already had the good fortune to have pub- — this is one loophole that no lawyer
lished three of those in THE MINOTAUR — Forget to Remember, Vol- will ever be able to take advantage of.
ume 3 Number l; Speck-ulation, Volume 4 Number 2; and Rainbow Writing, Volume
5 Number 2.1 highly recommend you check them out, if you haven't already. Now
with Positive I.D., good fortune has smiled on us again, because Anthony has taken BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 8
the idea of handing out a business card one step further. Dan Harlan's business card effect that
Not satisfied with just getting a business card into the hands of a spectator, A n - really takes the cake. You might think
thony wanted to somehow get his name imbedded in his spectator's memory as that Dan must be crazy to come up
well. I know you're probably thinking that's quite a tall order to fill, but with Positive with something like this, but he's not.
l.D.,\ think Anthony has come up with an effect that does just that. It will take a little He's just "Out to Lunch."
effort on your part to make up the props needed for the effect so that they look pro- WITH A LITTLE HELP
fessional, but once you've made the effort, you'll have every spectator you perform FROM MY FRIEND 10
Positive ID. for remembering your name.
Aaron Fisher's signed card in enve-
Instead of just giving you a quick synopsis of the effect, I am going to start with one lope that's not even signed — it's
possible presentation that will make the effect perfectly clear. Imagine you're work- drawn on. It doubles as a prediction
ing a cocktail party, hospitality suite, or corporate event at which everyone is wear- effect with a picture perfect ending.
ing name badges. You approach a small cluster of three or four people to perform
some of your miracles, and by way of introduction you say "Hello Mr. Milton; hello
Mr. Bradley; hello Mrs. Hasbro," by reading their names off their name badges. FROM THE LABYRINTH12
Dan writes about a few of his favorite
Continue by saying, "I'm here to entertain you with some magic, but first since I things using a sufficient number of
already know your names, let me introduce myself. My name is..." Stop and look words to occupy the standard amount
down as if to read your name off of your name badge and notice that you do not have of space on the back page.
yours on. Acting somewhat embarrassed say, "You know as important as I think it is
to remember people's names, I can't believe that 1 forgot to put my name badge on
so you could remember mine." Now reach into your various pockets as if to search
for your name badge and eventually come out with one of your business cards from
your right coat pocket. Do not let your spectators see your name on it just yet.
Direct your attention to one of your spectators and continue by saying, "Well at
least 1 found one of my business cards. Would you be so kind as to hold out your hand
and hold on to it for a second for me?" As your spectator holds out her hand, lay your
business card face down on it and instruct her not to peek at the face of it just yet.
Then go back into your pockets as if to look for your name badge again and continue
by saying, "Gee, without a name badge 1 can't officially tell you who I am, so instead
1 am going to let you tell me who I am." With that said, you bring out a packet of eight
to ten cards from your left coat pocket, each card with a name printed on it. "Con-
fused? Let me show you what I mean."
Show the face of each card, one at a time, and read aloud the name printed on it.
After you have shown them all, turn them face down and mix them up so that your
spectators could not possibly know which card holds which name. As you do this say,
"One of those names you just saw is mine. In a moment I am going to deal these cards
face down, one at a time, on your palm. When you get the feeling that I have dealt the
card with my name on it, tell me to stop." Do as you just said you would by dealing
the cards on top of your business card on her palm one at a time until she says stop.
Once she says stop, take all the dealt cards off her palm and place them on top of
the cards you still hold. Take the top card of the stack (the one she stopped you at)
with your right hand and place the rest of the cards in your left coat pocket with your
left hand. Once your left hand is in your pocket, look somewhat surprised and bring
a name badge out of that same pocket as you say, "Hey, 1 finally found my name
badge, but it still doesn't have my name on it." Show both sides of the badge, pointing
out that there is an empty space where your name ought to be.
With the clip side of the badge facing upward, slide her selected card half way into
the opening in the badge and then stop. Ask your spectator, "Would you please turn
over my business card and read aloud the name printed on it?" Once she has done
so, ask her to read it again to make sure that everybody heard it. Continue by saying,
"Now that card says I am (fill in your name here), so that's who I say I am, but
am I really? Let's see who you think I am."
With that, turn over the name badge and slide the card the rest of the way in. As you
do so, your name will come into view in what was formerly the empty space on the
badge. Say, "Look, you also think I am (fill in your name again), so I guess I must
be (fill in your name one last time)." Then as you clip the name badge on your
lapel, conclude by saying, "It's my pleasure to meet you. Now let me show you some
of my magic." How's that for imbedding your name in a spectator's mind? She says
your name twice, you repeat it back to her three more times, and she is left holding
your business card as an additional reminder. Having heard your name five times, it
should be firmly etched in her memory for eternity.
Now that you know how to present it, here's the props you'll need. A clear plastic
name badge with a metal clip on the back of it, a special deck of eight to ten cards
with names printed on them, and a special insert for the name badge. The name
badge Anthony uses is made out of two pieces of somewhat flexible plastic fused
together along the sides and the bottom but open at the top to form a pocket©. The
back piece of plastic is approximately four and a quarter inches wide by three and
three-quarters inches tall. The front piece is also about four and a quarter inches
wide but only measures three and a quarter inches up from the bottom edge of the
badge. Thus the opening of the pocket is about a half an inch down from the top edge
of the badge. This sort of badge is commonly available at better office supply stores.
If you can't find a badge whose dimensions are exactly as those mentioned in the
previous paragraph, don't fret. Find something as close in size as possible. It should
work just fine, but it must have a pocket that opens just at the top. Of course you will
have to adjust the dimensions that follow for the special deck of cards and the special
insert so that they will work with your badge if it is of a different size.
 Each of the cards in the special deck should be three and three-quarters inches
wide by three inches tall. Anthony uses a stiff light blue card stock for his deck. On
each card a name is printed with the bottom of the printing approximately five-eighths
of an inch from the bottom of the card. The first letters of the names on these cards
should be approximately a quarter of an inch tall © (previous page).
The choice of names you put on these cards is entirely up to you. Of course one of
the names must be yours, but the other names are entirely at your discretion. Names
of other magicians like David Copperfield and Harry Blackstone are good choices, as
are other readily recognized celebrities such as Clint Eastwood or Mel Gibson. For
comic relief, I would include one or two female names such as Madonna or Whoopi
Goldberg on these cards. On at least three of the cards, use names that are unknown
to your spectators, that is, names of friends or family with different last names than
yours, so that your name doesn't stick out as the only one unknown to them.
Now you could just write these names on these cards, but remember what 1 said
way earlier about making an effort to make everything look professional? If you have
a computer and a laser printer at your disposal, print up the names on eight and a half
by eleven inch light blue card stock and cut them to the correct size. Alternatively,
you could go to your neighborhood copy center (you know the one with the desktop
publishing department) and tell them exactly how and where you want the names
printed on the cards. For less than an arm and a leg, they will be more than happy to
make a professional looking deck of cards for you. The same goes for the printing on
the special insert, which I will describe next.
To make the insert, get a nice looking piece of paper (Anthony uses a light speckled
gray paper) and cut a piece out that is eight inches wide by four inches tall. Make a
horizontal fold one inch down from the top of this piece of paper and a vertical fold
in the middle of it, that is, four inches from either side. Unfold everything. You will
now make four forty-five degree diagonal cuts in the inch of paper above the hori-
zontal fold. Make one starting at the left-hand side at about a quarter of an inch
above the fold, cutting diagonally to the right and upward at a forty-five degree angle.
Make a similar cut starting at the right-hand side, cutting to the left and upward.
Before making the next two cuts, first make a one inch cut along the vertical fold
from the top of the paper to the horizontal fold. Then to the left of this cut, make a
third forty-five degree diagonal cut starting at about a quarter of an inch above the
horizontal fold, cutting diagonally to the left and upward. Make a similar cut to the
right of the vertical cut, cutting to the right and upward. You should now have a piece
of paper with two flaps at the top of i t © (previous page). Fold these flaps down and
then fold along the vertical fold so that the flaps are on the inside of this insert.
Next you must cut a rectangle in the insert where your name will eventually ap-
pear. This will require a sharp exacto knife since you must cut through both the front
and the back of the insert at the same time. Just be careful to cut only the insert and
not yourself. The rectangle should be three inches wide by one inch tall. Center it
horizontally so that this cutout rectangle is approximately a half an inch from either
side of the folded insert. The bottom edge of this cutout rectangle should be about
three-eighths of an inch from the bottom edge of the insert 0 (previous page).
In the area above this cut out rectangle, you should print something like "Magic b y
on two separate lines or something descriptive about yourself. Anthony has "Sleight
of Hand Entertainer" printed on his. Here again, your local copy center can assist
with this printing prior to you doing all the cutting necessary to make this insert. If
you like, you can also have something printed below the rectangle while you are at
it, although it is not absolutely necessary. Anthony has "Close Up & Walk Around
Magic" printed below the rectangle on his insert©.
There is one last item that you need to construct. To make it you will need a piece
of paper (not card stock) that matches exactly the color of your special cards with the
names on them. Cut a rectangle out of this paper that is about three and five-eighths
inches wide by three inches tall. Fold this rectangle in half horizontally and with the
folded edge at the bottom, print your name centered on the front of it © . Again your
local copy center is just waiting to assist you with this.
 To assemble your badge for performance, here's what you do. Slide the folded
rectangle with your name on it inside the insert so that one of its top edges goes
between one of the flaps and the back of the insert, and the other top edge goes
between the other flap and the front of the i n s e r t © (previous page). The side of the
folded rectangle with your name on it should rest against the inside of the front of the
insert, that is, the side with the printing on it. Make sure the top edges of the folded
rectangle are butted up against the folds under the flaps of the insert. Now slide the
whole thing into the pocket of the plastic name badge so that if you wore the badge,
your spectator would see the writing you had printed on the insert. Also, if you made
everything according to specifications, the folded rectangle with your name on it
should be completely hidden under the top portion of the insert ® (previous page).
To perform, place the prepared badge in your left coat pocket along with the deck
of name cards; in your right coat pocket have one of your business cards. Now all you
have to do is simply follow along with the presentation given at the beginning of this
explanation. I think the only additional information you need to know is at the point
when you slide your spectator's selected card face down half way into the face down
name badge®. The selected card should be inserted into it between the flaps of the
insert until you can feel it hit the bottom of the rectangle with your name on it hidden
inside. Then stop and have your spectator read your name off of your business card.
Now for the best part. Turn the name badge face up®. The name on the selected
card will be hidden inside the insert. Then slowly push the selected card the rest of
the way inside the plastic pocket and the insert. Your name will be seen to slowly
slide into the opening in the insert ® . That's because the selected card pushes the
folded rectangle with your name on it into view. Since the color of the rectangle with
your name on it is the same color as that of the selected card, it appears as though
your spectator selected the card with your name on it.
Horning in: What an ingenious method for forcing your name, and the sliding of
the selected card inside the badge couldn't be more innocent looking. I really like this
effect. Unfortunately, it doesn't reset as easily as 1 might like it to considering that it
is so well-suited to walk around situations. Therefore, I would suggest making up a
half a dozen or so of the name badges so that you are set to perform Positive ID.
several times without having to fumble to reset. After all, you want to make sure that
you are ready when you suddenly discover you are performing for some hot shot
CEO. You especially want him or her to remember your name, so you want to be
ready for him or her to make a Positive ID.
On a final note, I urge you not to just write the names and other information on
your props with a pen. It looks very amateurish. At the very least, use rub on letters,
which are available at most art supply and some office supply stores. However, I
wholeheartedly suggest you make use of either your computer and laser printer or
your local copy center's desktop publishing facilities to make sure everything looks
as professional as possible. If you do, ultimately your efforts will be well rewarded.
After all, you don't want that hot shot CEO to remember you as a s l o b . ^ -

T O M CRAVEN'S

JOKINC QUEENS
ML: It doesn't seem possible, but it's true. It has been over six years
since Tom Craven last made an appearance in THE MINOTAUR. Why
such a long absence from these hallowed pages? Well, I'm going to tell
you that the blame lies with both Tom and me. You see, Tom had the
audacity to take on the task of writing his excellent "Craven Haven"
column for The Linking Ring, which has no doubt kept him very busy.
Too busy to send a contribution to THE MINOTAUR though? Well that's where
some of the blame lies with me. After half-jokingly chastising Tom a year or so ago
for not contributing to THE MINOTAUR in quite a while, he sent me the effect you are
about to read, which I had inadvertently seen fit to file away until now. All I can say
is it's a good thing I clean out my files now and then, otherwise Tom's Joking Queens
might never have seen the light of day.
Joking Queens is a packet trick born out of curiosity and ingenuity. Let me explain
what I mean. A friend of Tom's found an envelope containing some cards with no
instructions to go with them. Knowing Tom's magical expertise, this friend asked
him if he knew what effect the cards in the envelope were for. Tom said he didn't
know, but that he would play with them to see what he could work out. So out of
Tom's curiosity and ingenuity Joking Queens was born.
Here's what happens. Four cards are shown to be blank on both sides. Then one
at a time, three of them change into a queen of diamonds. The last card changes into
a joker. The joker is then turned face down and cut into the middle of the three face
down queens. With just a snap of the fingers, all four cards are then shown to have
magically changed into jokers.
To perform Joking Queens, you will need one card that is blank on both sides, one
queen of diamonds that has a blank back, and three jokers with blank backs. With the
required cards at hand, set them up in the following manner. Place the blank-backed
queen on the table with its queen side up. On top of that place one of the blank-
backed jokers with its joker side up. Next place the double-blank card on top of the
joker. Finally, place the remaining two cards on top of the double-blank card with
their blank sides up. If you were to spread the cards a bit at this point, the setup would
look just like that depicted i n © (previous page). If you were working on a glass top
table, from underneath the setup would look just like that depicted in © . Square the
packet, snap-a rubber band around it if you like, place it in a convenient pocket, and
you are ready to perform.
Bring the packet out of your convenient pocket, remove the rubber band if you so
chose to snap one around it, and hold the packet squared in dealing position in your
left hand so that a blank card shows on the top of it, this being one of those with a
joker on its other side. Flip the packet over side to side with your right hand © to
show a second blank card, this one with the queen on its other side. Deal this top
blank card onto the table without flashing the queen on its other side. In a similar
manner, flip the packet over again and deal the new top card, also a blank, onto the
previously dealt card without flashing the joker on its other side. Flip and deal a third
apparently blank card in a similar manner. Then treating the two cards remaining in
your left hand as if they were one, flip them over side to side, take the center of their
right long sides between your right thumb on top and right fingers below, and use
them to scoop up the three cards on the table © . You have apparently just shown
four cards that are blank on both sides.
Now place the packet back into left-hand dealing position and square it. However,
before relinquishing your right hand's grip on the packet, remove the bottom card
with your right fingertips© and while holding it between your right thumb and fin-
gers at the center of its right long side, casually show both sides of it as you say, "All
I've done so far is show you four cards that are blank on both sides." Then place the
card square on top of the cards held in your left hand.
You must now separate the bottom card of the packet slightly from the cards above
it in order to facilitate a block turnover of the top four cards. Here's two ways — take
your pick. You could either perform a pinky pull down, that is, pull down on the inner
right comer of just the bottom card with the tip of your left little finger©, or you could
buckle the bottom card of the packet by pulling just its outer right corner slightly
inward and toward the left with the tip of your left index finger© (next page). Either
way with the bottom card separated slightly from the rest of the packet, flip all the
cards above it over side to side as if they were a single card © (next page). That's the
block turnover. The queen will come into view. Repeat the block turnover to appar-
ently turn just the queen face down. Then deal the top blank card, supposedly with
a queen on its other side, onto the table.
Repeat the procedure outlined in the previous paragraph two more times to appar-
ently show and then deal two more queens face down in a pile onto the previously
dealt card. You have just apparently changed three blank cards into queens. You are
now left with two cards in your left hand. Handle these cards as if they were only one
card and flip it (actually them) over from side to side with your right hand to show that
this supposedly single card has changed from a blank card to a joker. Then flip both
cards over again to apparently turn the joker face down, take the center of their right
long sides between your right thumb and fingers, and use them to scoop up the sup-
posedly three queens on the table.
Now place the packet back into left-hand dealing position and square it. Then
regrip the packet at its narrow ends from above between your right thumb and fin-
gers in Biddle position ® . Turn your right hand palm up to display the joker on the
bottom of the packet and say, "I'll cut this joker into the middle of the queens." To
apparently do what you just said you would, first turn your right hand palm down.
Then slide the top card off the packet and onto your left palm using your left thumb.
Immediately drop the remaining cards held in your right hand on top of your left
hand's card and regrip the packet in left-hand dealing position. To your spectators,
this should look as if you have simply cut the packet.
To bring this effect to its surprising conclusion, snap your right fingers (or do
whatever it is that you do to make your magic happen) and turn the packet over side
to side with your right hand. Execute an Elmsley Count with the packet to show that
it now consists of four jokers. If you are unfamiliar with the Elmsley Count, see Horn-
ing in for a description. Then flip the packet over side to side again and execute
another Elmsley Count to show four blank backs, or just spread the top three cards
off the top of the packet toward the right with your left thumb and a little assist from
your right hand to show four blank backs. Now square up the packet and put it away
as you graciously bow to receive your audience's thunderous applause.
Horning in: Isn't it amazing what a little curiosity and ingenuity will do? The more
inventive of you out there will most likely come up with some cute patter story to
accompany your performance of Joking Queens. If you do, please send along a copy
to show us your ingenuity, and we may just include your patter in a future issue of
THE MINOTAUR. However, patter that simply points out what you are doing as you
are doing it will suffice in a pinch, which is why only a meager amount of patter has
been supplied in this explanation. Either way, Joking Queens is a solid packet effect
that is well worth your giving it a try.
Now for those of you unfamiliar with the Elmsley Count, here's a semi-brief expla-
nation. Hold the packet in left-hand dealing position with your left middle fingertip
resting against its outer right corner. Hold the center of the packet's right long side
between the tip of your right thumb on top and your right first and second fingertips
below. Using your left thumb, slide the top card slightly outward and to the left and
then move your left hand toward the left, taking just the top card with i t ® .
As your left hand takes the top card, your right thumb pushes the top three right-
hand cards off to the left in a block about a quarter to a half an inch or so. Your left
hand then places its card below the bottom right-hand card, leaves it there held by
your right index and middle fingertips, and then moves to the left, taking just the top
three card block with i t ® . Next the top right-hand card is slid square onto your left
hand's three card block with your left thumb. To complete the Elmsley Count, the
single card remaining in your right hand is taken square onto the cards in your left
hand with the aid of your left thumb, fp-

ERIC WOLF'S

HIDDEN LOOPHOLE
DH: Remember Eric Wolf? You might ifyou've been a faithful subscriber
since Volume 4 Number 2, which was when we last heard from him
with his nifty coin-retention-vanish-sleight-variation called Pivotal
Pinch. You still don't remember him? Okay, I've said it before, and I'll
say it again—Eric is a very creative magician who Marv and I have the
pleasure of bumping into at Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic convention
 every once in a while. He always has some new routines or original twists on classics
to show us. Here he gives us one of the latter. This is his handling of a secret release
of a ring knotted onto a string.
I'm pretty sure you have guessed by now what props you'll need to try out this
move — a ring and a string, but let's be a little more specific, shall we? You should
really use a signet type ring, since the weight of the ring helps facilitate the secret
move. Also, the string should really be a flat shoelace, as opposed to a velvet cord or
cotton string. A poly-blend shoelace works well, since it has a some resiliency and
slipperiness to it © (previous page). A little experimentation with your props will
ultimately indicate to you whether they'll be appropriate for this move.
In performance, thread the ring onto the shoelace and allow the ring to hang at its
center as you hold one end of it in either hand. Now tie a simple overhand knot by
placing the left end of the shoelace over the right end, reaching through the large
loop, and then pulling the left end through the loop toward you and to the right with
your right hand as your left hand grips what was previously the right end © . As you
tie this knot, try to keep the shoelace as flat as possible. This will help later.
Pull the knot down toward the hanging ring, but do not tighten it completely. When
you're learning this move you should leave the knot rather loose, so that it's opening
is about twice the size of the ring © . After you get comfortable with the move, you
can use a tighter knot, but the ring must still be able to slide through the knot as you'll
see. Once the knot is pulled down to the proper distance, take both ends in your left
hand. Reach down with your right hand and grab the ring between the tips of your
right thumb and index and middle fingers. Then move your left hand below your right
hand and release its grip on the ends to leave the string hanging from the r i n g © .
As you are showing the ring and the knot, your left hand pulls whichever end of the
string is nearest to you straight down to straighten i t © . A quick tug should do it. If
the ring were to slide down this straight section of the string, it could slide out of the
knot and off the end of the string. It could do this, but it might also get hung up on the
knot, so you still have more to learn.
Place your left hand palm up between the two sections of the string hanging down.
The section which hangs along the little finger side of your left hand should be the
straight section. The part hanging over the thumb side of your left hand should be
looped around the straight section. Move your left hand up until your left thumb can
clip its section about two to three inches from the loop of the knot. Once this is clipped,
throw the ring onto your left fingers in about finger palm position. The ring must be
thrown a bit and not simply placed. The throwing action causes the knot to open fully
as it lands and creates a large loop slightly behind and over the ring © . The ring is
still on the segment of the string previously straightened, but it is now ready to move
through the loop and slide down and off the string.
To insure that the knot doesn't tighten around or move with the ring, clip a portion
of the loop just to the left of the ring with your left thumb©. Now turn your left hand
over and make a loose fist. The ring almost automatically slips through the knot and
falls upon your left fingers in roughly a cross between a deep finger palm and heel
palm position ® . Basically, it's still in your fist, but it's no longer in the knot. Your
right hand now grabs both ends of the string and lifts them up above your left hand,
pulling on them to tighten the knot inside your left fist. The knot will tighten next to
the ring, which is now free to slide off the string.
At this point you'll employ a standard ring release subtlety. Turn your left fist so
that its thumb is upward, and its little finger is downward. If you were to relax your
left fist, the ring would slide down and out of the little finger side of it. This is what you
will do in a moment. However, first use your right hand to tug once more on the string
exiting your left fist at the thumb side. Release this end from your right hand. Then
bring your right hand in front of your left hand and downward to grab the string
exiting the little finger side of your fist. As your right hand grabs this string just below
your left fist to tug on it, relax your fist to allow the ring to fall into your right hand,
® which forms a fist around it in the action of grabbing the s t r i n g ® (next page).
Tug once on this section of the string, then slide your right hand off of the end of
the string, secretly carrying the ring away with it. You may now reveal that the ring
has vanished from the string although the knot still remains. Finally, produce the ring
from whatever or from wherever you desire.
Horning in: This is a nice alternative method for accomplishing the traditional ring
and string release. It makes it look like there is no way you could slide the ring off the
string. Needless to say, this strengthens the impossibility of removing the ring from
the string. Although there is a slight knack to it, once you obtain it, Hidden Loophole
is quick and easy and natural looking. What more could you possibly ask for?
Eric says he came up with this about two years ago when another Fechter's at-
tendee showed him a ring release from a knot that used the basic idea of creating the
path for the ring to travel, but it involved a bit more suspicious handling. Eric wanted
to use the mechanical concept yet keep all the actions open and natural. I would
have to say he has succeeded admirably.

D A N HARLAN'S

B I R T H D A Y SURPRISE
DH: You say it's your birthday! Well, it's my birthday too, yeah! Actu-
ally, it's not, but then again it's probably not your birthday either, but
that's no reason we can't celebrate. Certainly no celebration would be
complete without a cake and candles and a little magic. If I'd have
known you were coming, I'd have baked a cake, but since I didn't know,
I'll have to improvise. So, in honor of your very happy unbirthday (a tip
of my mad hat to Lewis Carrol), I present a very unconventional Birthday Surprise.
You, Mr. Magish, discover that one of your spectators is celebrating a birthday.
What will you do, what will you do? Explain that you just happen to have a cake in
your pocket. After the customary blank stares wash across your spectators' faces,
you pull from your pocket a stack of business cards rubber banded together. On the
top card of the stack, you show a picture of a cake with a candle "splortched" in it's
center © . Splortched, by the way, means "to have carefully and lovingly shoved
something, with considerable force, deep into a gooey substance," in this case icing.
As everyone is admiring your culinary creation, you mention that you would like
to give this cake to the person whose birthday is being celebrated, but it needs to be
personalized. You then have the aging celebrant write the month and day of her
special date upon the cake. You also ask her to light the candle by drawing a flame
on it © . As everyone joins in on a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday," you remove
the card from the stack face down© and place all of the others back in your pocket
At the conclusion of the song, you ask the special birthday person to make a wish
and blow upon the side of the card opposite your drawing. When you turn the card
around, everyone will see that the drawing has changed. That burning candle
splortched in the center of the cake is now half-melted and blown o u t © (next page).
The spectator's writing, which remains intact, is the icing on the cake, so to speak!
Isn't this cool? I'm pretty sure that if you're familiar with the standard "Out to Lunch"
(OTL) principle, you don't have to read much further to figure out what's going on. If
you're not, let me explain. The OTL principle has been around a long time (since the
mid-1800's) but didn't achieve much recognition (or a name) until the version featur-
ing a picture of a boy climbing a rope rising out of a basket. The boy vanishes and in
his place is a sign that reads "Out To Lunch." The basic OTL setup is a half card placed
on top of a stack of full length cards to hide half of the full length card. A rubber band
is wrapped around all to hide one edge of the half card © (next page).
In order for you to give someone the most memorable Birthday Surprise (short of
a Lamborghini) they've ever received, you'll need to make up a stack of "melted
candle" cards. The artwork provided here in © is the correct size for a standard
business card and is yours to reproduce for your own use. Any commercial use is
prohibited, and if I find out about it, I'll hunt you down and "blow out your candles,"
if you know what I mean. You can have the artwork printed on the back of your
business cards, or you can have it made up as a stand alone effect. Just be sure to
white out the smoke wisp and the date before you have these cards printed.
You'll also need to have a bunch of cards printed with the unlit "new candle" on
them © . Just white out the flames before you have these printed. Cut one of these
cards along the dotted line and you'll have yourself two half card gimmicks. The
reason 1 say you'll need a bunch is because your spectator will draw a flame on a half
card gimmick each time you perform this, so you'll need a fresh gimmick each time.
However, since each card yields two gimmicks, you'll only need to print half as many
of © as you will of @ . By the way, the flames are already drawn in © for a repeat-
able, instantly resetting, variation that is explained in Horning in.
To perform the routine as just described, stack up about 20 of your "melted candle"
cards. On the uppermost one draw a smoke wisp, like the one pictured i n ® , using
the pen you'll use during your performance. The effect is much stronger if this pen is
a different color from the printed image. Place one of the "new candle" gimmicks
over the proper end, the one with the wisp on it. Snap a rubber band around the stack
to cover the center separation and drop the stack into your pocket with the pen. Now
you're ready for the party.
While you 're performing for a group, and you happen to discover that it's someone's
birthday (or recently was or will be), you mention the cake in your pocket. Reach into
your pocket and pull out the banded stack of cards. As you display the artwork, say
something witty like, "it's a health food cake; low in fat, high in fiber," or perhaps,
"Hey, a layer cake," as you flick the edges of the cards. Or you can say both of these
things if, like me, you have no shame.
Bring out the pen to have your spectator write her birth date on the cake. Mention
that she doesn't have to write the year, if she doesn't want to and explain, "That's why
there's only one candle, so nobody will know." Ask her to "light" the candle. If she
doesn't get it, just tell her to draw a flame on the candle. Once she has done that, take
the pen back and put it away. Show everyone the drawing and say, "Okay, the candle's
burning. You know what that means. It's time to sing! Ready, one, two, three..., Ha-
a-a-ppy Birthday to you..." and so on. Hopefully, the others will join in.
As everyone is singing, turn the cake drawing toward yourself, so no one else can
see it. Grab the bottom edge of the drawing and pull the card down, sliding it out from
the rubber band, and leaving the gimmick behind on the stack© (next page). Place
the stack into your pocket as you continue to sing, holding the single card at your
fingertips with the drawing hidden. When the song is over, say, "Okay, make a wish,
take a deep breath, and blow." Point to the card.
Once the spectator has blown onto the back of the card, wait a moment, then turn
the card around, saying, "Wow! It's a good thing you made that wish when you did,
or the candle would have melted all the way down to the cake." Your spectator's
writing is still on the cake, but it now looks like the flame she drew has changed into
a smoke wisp, and the candle is melted. Imagine her trying to explain that to anyone
that wasn't there. It'll be even more fun if she has the card with her, so since it's her
birthday, present it to her as a present from you and then add, "Sorry your wish didn't
come true; I'm still here."
Horning in: I wish I would have come up with this years ago when I was working
restaurants on a regular basis. It's perfect, not only for birthdays, but also for anni-
versaries, engagements, promotions, armed forces day — almost any celebration.
Although I think the spectator's drawri flame changing into a smoke wisp is great, the
demands of restaurant work would make an instantly resetting version more prac-
tical. Therefore, I would have the "melted candle" cards printed with a smoke wisp
already on them @ and the "new candle" cards printed with the flames already on
them © . The spectator would only write her birth date on the cake, but otherwise the
presentation would be the same. This time, though, when the card is pulled out from
under the gimmick, and the stack is placed in your pocket, you are reset!
My inspiration for this routine came from a project 1 was given by Greg Wilson (not
Mark's son), a friend of mine who was designing a wallet incorporating the OTL
principle. He asked me to think of a routine that he could publish in a booklet with the
wallet. Well, I came up with a few, and we settled on one (not this one), which made
its way into the booklet, along with routines from Paul Harris, Daryl, Simon Lovell,
Mike Close, Jay Sankey, Michael Weber, and others. Once he got the wallet on the
market, he sent me one as "thanks" for my contribution. I liked the construction of
the wallet and quality of the booklet so much, 1 was inspired to come up with about
a dozen more ideas! 1 think this birthday cake idea is one of the best. Too bad for
Greg, since I came up with it after the introduction of his wallet — but good for you,
since it's now yours. However, in an effort to make it up to Greg a little, Marv and I
give his wallet two enthusiastic thumbs up. It looks great and is much more stylish
than a rubber band. Plus, you get that booklet filled with amazing routines. It's called
The StockHolder and is available from better magic dealers all over the u n i v e r s e . ^

A A R O N FISHER'S

W I T H A LITTLE H E L P
F R O M M Y FRIEND
DH: Yes, I know we featured Aaron on the cover of the previous issue
of THE MINOTAUR, and we don't normally have someone appear in
two issues in a row, but that just goes to show you how much Marv and
I like With a Little Help From My Friend. Yes, it's a card effect, and al-
though Aaron often employs difficult sleights in his card work, this
effect does not feature any of those. However, it does feature some of
Aaron's excellent thinking and is suitable for both close-up or platform work
This is what your audience sees. An envelope is displayed as you mention that you
have a friend who sometimes sends you his psychic impressions. A card is chosen,
and someone is asked to draw any animal on it. The card is returned to the deck. The
envelope is then opened and as the letter inside it is read, it becomes clear that your
friend has predicted the value of the card but has had some trouble predicting the
animal. The last line says, "I'm not entirely sure what animal it is, but I have enclosed
a drawing of it on the back of this letter." To conclude, the letter is turned over and
the chosen card, with the spectator's drawing on it, is seen attached to its back.
You'll need a double-faced card, a nine inch by twelve inch envelope, a letter
opener, a marking pen, some tape that's sticky on both sides, and a pair of scissors.
Type out a letter saying something like this: "Dear (fill in your name here), I keep
having this weird vision, and I thought I should write and share it with you. Perhaps
it will make some sense to you. I see you performing some magic for a group of
people. Everyone is having a great time, because you are so entertaining, and witty,
and charming, and intelligent, and...I'm sorry, I digress."
The letter continues, "I see one of these people. It's a beautiful woman, with a
fetching smile. She is sitting very close to you. You offer her a choice of any card in
the deck and she chooses one. When you show it to all the others, I can see that it is
a red one. It doesn't have too many spots on it. I think it is a four. Probably the four
of diamonds, but it is so hard to tell, since the vision is hazy. Now I see the woman
who selected the card doing something very strange to it. She is drawing a picture on
it, and everyone is laughing. I think she is drawing an animal, it looks like a dog, or
perhaps a cat. For all I know it could be a horse. Like I said the vision is very hazy.
Well, does this make any sense to you at all? I hope so. Signed, Your Friend. P.S.: Sorry
I couldn't be more specific about that animal; I'm not entirely sure what animal it is,
but I have enclosed a drawing of it on the back of this letter."
Now take your envelope and make a tiny slit in the center of its back. Slide the letter
inside the envelope with the writing facing toward the front or address side. Seal the
envelope, address it, and mail it to yourself. When it arrives, locate the slit and care-
fully enlarge it to an opening about six inches square with the scissors so that the
back of the letter is exposed through it. Put an "X" of double-stick tape across the
center of the exposed portion of the letter © (previous page) and put the envelope
somewhere where the tape will not get stuck to anything. Next put the marking pen
in a convenient pocket and set up the deck as follows.
Let's assume that your force card will be the four of diamonds as mentioned in the
letter. This card must be on one side of your double-faced card. The other side can
be any indifferent card. Discard the four of diamonds from your deck, and let's say
that the other side of this double-faced card is the seven of clubs. Find the seven of
clubs from your deck and place it onto the face of the deck. Now place any card in
front of the seven. Then place the double-faced card in front of this indifferent card
with-the four of diamonds showing at its face© (previous page). You are now ready.
In performance, show the envelope, keeping the opening to the rear. Lean it up
against something on your left side. Place the letter opener on the table about one
foot in front of the envelope. Bring out your prepared deck and false shuffle it so that
the bottom three cards stay on the bottom. Ask a nice female spectator to assist you,
since that is how the letter reads. Seat your spectator to your right.
Give the deck a complete cut, obtaining a break below the four of diamonds with
your right thumb© (previous page). Then dribble force the four of diamonds. Briefly,
ask your spectator to say stop as you dribble cards off the bottom of the deck. Dribble
slow enough so that she says stop before you reach the break. When she says stop,
in that same instant, quickly dribble off the remaining cards below the break. Then
show everyone the bottom card of your right hand's portion, your force card.
Reassemble the deck by placing your right hand's portion face down below your
left hand's portion. Then turn the deck face up so that your force card shows on top
of it as you reach into your pocket to get your marking pen. Ask your helper to draw
her favorite animal on her card as you steady it for her to write on © (previous page).
Her drawing will most likely be unidentifiable, but don't pick on her too much. Just
ask her to identify the animal. In most cases it will be a dog, a cat, or a horse.
As she identifies it, obtain a left little finger break below the top two cards©. Then
flip both cards face down as one. Thumb off the top single face down indifferent card
into your right hand. Hold it as though it were her selection, turn the deck face down
with your left hand©, and push your right hand's card into its center to lose it. Turn
the deck face up and place it on the table a little to your left©. Pick up the pen and
put it away, casually showing your hands to be otherwise empty as you do so.
Pick up the envelope and hold it on both sides between both hands ® as you
comment on the fact that your friend sometimes sends you his psychic impressions.
Say, "Let's see what he's sent this time." Release your right hand's hold and reach
across to your left to pick up the letter opener. As you do this, drop your left hand
holding the envelope over the deck so that the double stick tape adheres to the double-
faced card, picking it up off the face of the deck © . Once you have the letter opener
in your right hand, return to your previous position. Even if someone was watching
the deck, the face card is still the seven of clubs, so it seems like nothing has changed.
The idea of using this type of pickup from a face up deck is Ken Krenzel's.
Move to your right as you open the envelope © and remove the letter. This is
supposedly so you can give the letter to your spectator, but it is actually to distance
yourself from the deck. Make sure that when you are removing the letter, you avoid
getting the card stuck on the opening. Once the letter is out of the envelope, fold the
envelope up and put it in your pocket. Lay the letter on the table in front of your
spectator and ask her to read it aloud. She will, and hopefully, she will also react to
some of the things it says, eventually turning the letter over to find her card attached
on its back. You can let her keep this, since it's unlikely she will remove the card, and
even if she does, it will probably only serve to confuse her as to its meaning.
Horning in: Aaron wants to make sure that we mention that Scotty York was in-
strumental in the development of this routine. He inspired much of it, although Aaron
worked out the whole structure and motivation. This is one of those strange routines
that leaves your audience questioning how the card could travel into the envelope so
quickly, or whether it was in the envelope the whole time, which they know to be
impossible. Regardless of how they perceive it, the effect is strong and entertaining. ^
 u 0
,51 HO fi 1bane;
-If- 1
—• •—

FROM THE LABYRINTH

MARV LEVENTHAL ML: After you read what is to come in the ensuing paragraphs, you may think Dan has
Editor-in-Chief finally popped a gasket. You may think he has taken total leave of his senses. Then
DAN HARLAN again, you may think he is brilliant. And then again, you may just think.
Creative Genius & Illustrator
DH: I awoke this morning to find the sun doing its typical job of illumi-
SUBSCRIPTIONS: THE MINOTAUR is pub- nating the world in an altogether satisfactory fashion. The birds were
lished quarterly (that's four times ayear). Single
issues are $5 each in the U.S. and Canada, $7 making rather normal bird-like noises, just as one would expect birds
each everywhere else. A one year subscription to do. I could smell the coffee brewing, and 1 noticed that it smelled just
(four issues) is $18 in the U.S. and Canada, $26
like coffee — again nothing unusual, just as one would expect coffee
everywhere else.
to smell. 1 decided to write a poem to capture this moment. Here it is.
BACK ISSUES: Every attempt is made to keep
all back issues in stock. The prices for all back The sun is providing light and heat, while the birds do what birds do; I smell coffee.
volumes and back single issues are the same
as the above subscription and single issue
That poem is appropriate, 1 think.
prices However, please note that individual I decided to get dressed. I put on my necessary undergarments, followed by my
back issues are only available from the current
volume Back issues prior to this volume are plain shirt, gray pants, and simple shoes, just like the outfit 1 wore yesterday. Today
only available in complete volume sets 1 don't have to work, so I'll relax and be entertained by some television. The program
REMITTANCE: Make vour check or money or- I choose features one person wearing a plain shirt, gray pants, simple shoes, and,
der payable in U.S. fundsout to THE MINOTAUR most likely, necessary undergarments talking with some other people dressed simi-
and mail it to the following address: larly. They talk about what is obvious. I like that. Sometimes I watch other shows that
THE MINOTAUR are just like this one. Actually, watching television is not recommended for extended
P. O. BOX 470025 periods of time. Perhaps I should go out for a drive.
BROADVIEW HTS., OH 44147-0025
My car is really sufficient for its purpose. It's a brownish color, which I selected
If you want to risk sending cash (US money from among all the other brown cars. It looks like most other cars, but 1 can tell it
only, please) in the mail, we're more than will-
ing to accept that too, but we take no respon- apart from them, because it's the one I drive. Also, I have a personalized license plate
sibility if it doesn't get to us. which reads, "LCNS PLT" I thought of that myself. Sometimes, I think. In fact, right
SUBMISSIONS: Your editorial submissions (ef- now I think today is a proper day to go to the museum and look at paintings.
fects, bits of business, essays, anecdotes, com-
Here we are at "The Museum." The architectural style of the museum is just like all
ments, fan mail, etc., and magical ramblings in
general) are not only welcome, but encouraged the surrounding buildings. Once inside, I find my favorite painting. It's entitled "The
in order to assure the future viability of this fine Painting." It has a background and a subject, as well as a realistic attention to detail,
publication. Unlessyou indicate otherwise, we
will assume that any portion of your correspon-
which makes it completely satisfactory as a painting. The other paintings here are
dence is fair game for inclusion in a future is- also satisfactory in the same way. All of this excitement is making me hungry. I think
sue of THE MINOTAUR We will happily return I'll drive to my favorite restaurant.
your submissions provided you remember to
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope On the way to "The Restaurant," I listen to my car radio. The song playing has a
PERMISSIONS: No part of this publication may sufficient number of words and a repetitive beat, which occupies a standard amount
be reproduced in any form, by any means of time. I think it will be a number one hit like all the others. At the restaurant, I order,
whether currently known or, if you're reading "The Usual," which I always get. I enjoy the way it satisfies my hunger and sustains
this in the future, yet to be invented without the
written permission of Dan and Marv. In addi-
my need for energy. I also have a beverage, which I prefer, because it is liquid. My life
tion, the manufacturing and commercial rights is filled with choices. So many options from which to choose. In fact, I must now
for all items contained in this or any other issue choose what to do for the rest of the evening. "The Movies?" "The Dance Club?" No,
of THE MINOTAUR are reserved by their con-
tributors and THE MINOTAUR. I have a better idea; I'll go to "The Magic Show."

ADVERTISING: Write to THE MINOTAUR for "The Magic Show" is perfect. The magician is dressed in the typical tuxedo and is
advertising information. Be sure to include a sufficiently skilled in the required techniques. He is talking about what is obvious,
telephone number where you can be reached and pointing out what I can plainly see. You know I like that. He uses people from the
THE MINOTAUR audience, acknowledging them only as props, which is standard. His selection of
©Copyright 1995 material is satisfactory and repetitive, while occupying a sufficient length of time. He
by Marvin J. Leventhal
& Daniel D. Harlan introduces one part as "The Rings." He links and unlinks the rings, while talking
All Rights Reserved about linking and unlinking the rings. This is what I prefer to see.
Printed in the U.S.A.
I2/95-3l He selects me as one of his props and asks me to select a card from his ordinary
deck. I do. Then he loses it in the deck, yet the card is found on top. He repeats this
THE MINOTAUR
is printed on 100% recycled paper. numerous times, and I don't know why. I must say he is my favorite magician. I prefer
him to all the others like him. 1 think he'll be number one like all the others. I sug-
gested to him that 1 think he should call his show, "The Show." Sometimes, I think. /f>

PACE 12 DECEMBER 1995

 O H , BY THE WAY...
o u r s u b s c r i p t i o n rate is g o i n g u p .
But b e c a u s e w e like y o u s o
m u c h , w e ' l l give y o u a little time
to r e n e w at the current rate.

You can renew now for

$ 18 per year
($26 overseas)
until May 15, 1996.
As a subscriber to THE MINOTAUR, After that, the rate w i l l be
you are entitled to certain benefits: $20 p e r y e a r ($28 overseas).
You receive the finest new magic routines
on a more or less regular basis. This is our first rate increase
You get the clearest descriptions and illustrations, in seven years. Not too shabby!
most of which are necessary. We hope you understand.
And now, we've given you a FREE GIFT THE MINOTAUR
for Dan's new effect in this issue. P.O. BOX 470025
We really must like you... BROADVIEW HTS., O H 44147-0025
Enjoy!

Hello! Here are

the answers
to all your
questions:
We got engagedl
We bought a house!
We moved to Las VegasI
We bought a little puppy dogl
We are preparing to tour England!
We are very tired!