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IQPA
IQPA
A mind reader’s approach to
progressive anagrams.
By José Prager
Copyright © José Prager
First Edition October 2016
Proofreading by Dee Cristopher and Ian 'Rasp' Cheetman
No portion of this manuscript or photos can be reproduced in any manner without
written permission of the copyright owner
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IQPA
What is a progressive anagram?
A progressive anagram (also known as a branching anagram) is a list of several words,
in which a thought of word can be identified through an alphabetical sequence,
delivered in the guise of receiving letters one by one, telepathically from the person
thinking of the word.
As soon as a “No, (that letter is not in my word)” is received, the performer knows
which word is being thought of.
My experience with progressive anagrams as a mind reader
After using progressive anagrams in my professional performances for many years, I
have found the following notes to be true:
1. Most of the time, when using progressive anagrams, the choices seem
significantly limited.
2. Often, when calling out many letters, the process can feel like a game of
hangman.
3. After more than two negative responses, it felt like I was simply fishing to get
the thought.
4. Why, do I receive the letters in a random order? It didn't make sense.
5. I had to hide the negative responses, since they were the core of the secret.
6. Most progressive anagrams require a lot of memorisation in order for them to
flow correctly.
Through much experimentation, I gradually managed to eliminate everything I did
not like about previously published progressive anagrams. In doing so, I created my
IQPAs.
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IQPA
What is IQPA?
IQPA, is how I approach progressive anagrams as mind reading technique.
IQPA, stands for Invisible Quick Progressive Anagram.
IQPAs, are fast in execution and extremely direct. They appear to be very open and
aim to make the letters appear irrelevant to the mind reading itself.
When done well, the IPQAs can be one of the most powerful tools in a mentalist's
arsenal; they are strong, prop-less, and completely impromptu. It is difficult to ask
for anything better!
Let's get started.
-José Prager
Los Angeles CA, October 2016
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IQPA
One: Colours
"Please think of a colour... Red, Purple... which ever you like; just don't think of
a neutral colour...those are hard for me to see...Got one in mind?”
-Yes.
“And, it is definitely a colour I would identify, right?”
-Yes.
"Visualise your colour as a single word…Mix up the letters in your mind…
Stop.There is an E correct?”
-No…
“No?... That's weird... I'm really getting an E...
You know what...Forget completely about the letters...
The mind reader places his hand a few inches above spectators head and continues:
Let the colour fill your mind...
Really allow it to fill your mind...
Perfect... I'm starting to see it...
Yes or no...
Are you thinking of the colour pink?!”
-Yes! You son of the devil!
That's direct mind reading!
If you made the process any simpler, it would look something like:
"Think of a colour... you are thinking about pink."
… And, that’s just boring from a theatrical point of view!
Progressive anagrams naturally offer some great theatrics before the reveal.
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IQPA
IQPA: Colours
Red and purple are eliminated by mentioning them as examples.
Neutral colours, such as black, white, grey and beige are eliminated by mentioning
that neutral colors are hard to get.
I then make sure that they don't go for a really strange colours, by simply saying:
“And, it is definitely a colour I would identify, right?” (Atlas Brookings idea, shared
with his permission).
I then ask them to visualise their colour as a single word… and, after apparently
failing receiving letters, I change my mind reading strategy, asking them to see their
colour filling up their mind and I reveal.
Remember:
The progressive anagram itself is very simple, and you will only ever get one ‘no.’ As
soon as we hear ‘no’ we are left with two options, we can handle this in several ways,
which I will teach as we continue.
To use this IQPA, call out letters going down the column, when you get a ‘no’ you
instantly know that it is one of two colours.
For example, you get to the letter ‘R’ and they say ‘no’; you know the colours they
are thinking of is either Yellow or Blue.
If you call out all the letters, the colour must be either Green or Orange.
Neutral colors, Red and Purple are eliminated by mention.
E - Pink / Brown
R - Blue / Yellow
Green / Orange
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IQPA
To hide the pumping, I use several important subtleties as I call out letters:
a) In my other demonstrations, I also call out letters as I reveal information. So,
people expect me to call out letters. When used as an opener, it's a nice way of
showing some of the mind reading process. Being consistent using letters in my
revelations is key.
b) I make statements, not guesses. For example: I say, “There is an E”.
Statements make me appear more confident.
c) I rarely offer a believable out or excuse when I get my one “no” response.
People don’t expect perfection from mind readers.
d) After the one “no” response, I change my mind reading strategy from seeing
letters, to seeing colors, by saying: “Forget completely about the letters and
just let the color fill your mind...” This also implies that the letters are not
working, so how could they be a part of the method?
e) When I don't get any negative response while executing an IQPA, I still ask them
to forget about the letters an proceed to reveal.
IQPA: All Colours
If you don't fell comfortable excluding the colours Red and Purple you can use the
following IQPA:
Remember:
Neutral colors are eliminated by mention.
E - Pink / Brown
R - Blue / Yellow
N - Red / Purple
Green / Orange
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IQPA
Handling The Two Outs
Barely Legible Ploy
I usually proceed to write down one of the two colours and after finishing writing, I
say:
"That's barely legible... be completely honest... are you thinking about (reveal
non-written colour)?”
If yes, I have a hit, I don’t show the writing... it is implied, that you I did not show it
because it was not clear enough to be read.
If NO, I will simply reveal what I wrote and the verbal reveal will simply work as good
theatre before the reveal.
This is a Peter Turner creation, I've just added my own justification for not showing
the paper, by implying that I wrote my impressions in a way that it is not legible.
Change your mind ploy
This handling was inspired by Banacheck’s Brain Games from Psychological
Subtleties, a must read for mentalists. Essentially, it allows you to hit any specific
letter from a thought of word.
I tell them to answer with just a yes or no, I reveal any of the two possible outcomes
verbally, and if I get a no... I quickly continue:
“I know what happened… maybe you did not make it consciously, but when I
asked you to think of a colours, you thought of (name the one you've just failed)
for a second and then you changed it… You are thinking about (reveal the second
out)! Yes?!”
For the rest of the audience, it will seem like you not only guessed the colours they
were thinking, but also the one they thought for a second. It’s kind of a double
revelation.
Spectator will never deny it because you stated that they may have not done it
consciously, and you are stating a fact they will confirm.
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IQPA
Receiving letters at random
Some other processes that I use, as a way to justify receiving thoughts in the form of
letters in a random order, are:
Spell it again and again
This one, consists on asking them to spell their word again and again in their mind.
I reveal, as if I were receiving some of the letters that I see the person spell in their
mind.
I always offer them the possibility of closing their eyes, if they think it will make the
spelling for them, easier.
I keep my spectator focused on spelling their word again and again, by simply
reminding them during the process to do so.
The Wall
I make them imagine their thought, written on a wall or big surface, as a single word.
I then ask them to read it again and again just in their mind.
Like them, I see too, the wall. As if somehow, I could be seeing their word on that
wall.
When performing this, you will notice that people get really interested about the
surface on which the word is being imagined. The bigger the wall, the bigger the
interest. It's a perfect way to fill stages, using just the imagination.
This simple process, not only makes the visualisation of the letters for them a lot
easier, it also works as a way of justifying receiving the letters in a random order,
since they are reading the word again and again, I'm receiving some of the letters as I
supposedly see them.
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IQPA
Two: Deadly Sins
“Imagine yourself committing any of the seven deadly sins…whichever you
like...just don't think about lust, everyone does that... really imagine yourself
committing any of the seven deadly sins…”
After trying to read the spectator’s mind, the mentalist claims that he is getting too
many sins and confusing images… so he continues:
“You know what...We are going to need to do this differently…
Visualise your deadly sin as a single word .… Now mix up the letters... Stop.
There is an E, right?”
-No.
“Mmm…strange...Forget completely about the letters, and just repeat your sin
over and over in your mind...”
-Ok...
“Sloth...Sloth...Sloth”
-Yes! What the hell?! Please don’t punish me, you son of the beast!
IQPA: Deadly sins
Mark Elsdon was the first one to create a progressive anagram using the seven deadly
sins, and he published it under the name “sinner!” Elsdon, is an extraordinary
talented mentalism thinker. His publications are always inspiring. You can find them
directly through his site: http://elsdon.blogspot.mx
My deadly sins IQPA, reduces the pumping, to a maximum of just 3 letters and only
one negative response.
“It's not what you can do, its what they think you can do that matters.”
-Bob Cassidy
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IQPA
This effect, is a perfect example of the previous quote, as it may seem that you are
revealing their personal sin and not one of the 7 deadly sins.
Remember:
Lust, is eliminated by mention.
E –Sloth / Gluttony
R – Envy / Anger
O – Pride / Greed
When using this IQPA I handle the two outs with the next ploy:
Repeat in your mind ploy
Created by Derren Brown and popularised lately by Peter Turner, this handling works
by simply asking them to “repeat their thought over and over in their mind... like
(name one of two outs) several times...” If they react, you have a hit. If they don’t
react, continue by revealing your other out.
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IQPA
Additional thoughts
Using a time delay with IQPAs
This is better explained, by reading the next performance example:
"Please think of any colour...Red, Purple which ever you like; just don't think of a
neutral colour...those are hard for me to see...Got one in mind?”
-Yes.
“And, it is definitely a colour I would identify, right?”
-Yes.
"Visualise your colour as a single word…
Mix up the letters in your mind…There is an E, correct?”
-No.
“No? Hmmm...Forget completely about the letters and just keep thinking of your
colour...Allow it to fill your mind...I will come back to you later.”
-OK
Later on, perhaps after performing other effects, you direct your attention towards
your victim and tell him:
“And you are still thinking of colour?…”
I extend my hand towards their head and continue to reveal:
“Yes or no...Are you thinking about Yellow?”
Spectator faints. Confirming you are right.
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IQPA
Using IQPAs for pre-show
Again, this is explained easily with the next simple script:
"Please think of any colour...Red, Purple which ever you like; just don't think of a
neutral colour...those are hard for me to see...Got one in mind?”
-Yes.
“And, it is definitely a colour I would identify, right?”
-Yes.
"Visualise your colour as a single word…
Mix up the letters in your mind…There is an E, correct?”
-No.
“No? Not sure what's happening...
Forget completely about the letters and just keep thinking about your coulor...
Allow it to fill your mind completely ...I will come back to you later, during the
show.”
-OK
Later on, during the show, I direct my attention towards my participant and state:
“Yes or no? You are doing something…you are thinking of a color...?”
-Yes.
“Look at me…”
I place my hand over their head and after a few seconds I say:
“Allow it to fill your mind...
I reveal.
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IQPA
Billets with IQPAs
Sometimes, I have the participant write their choice on a folded billet or any other
paper; I then ask them to hide it inside their hand, and I place my hand over their
hand, as I pretend to use psychometry to guess their thought.
This, makes the part of asking for letters completely logical, since I am supposed to
be sensing letters from the paper.
As soon as I get a “no”, I change my technique from psychometry to mind reading as
I place my hand over their head, instead of over the paper.
It’s also a perfect way of implying, that you don't need to touch billets when working
with them.
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IQPA
Bonus: Months
"Please think of the month you were born…You know what? So you don't think I've
spied on you through Facebook or something similar, think about any other
month, and pretend it’s your own…January, May, August... whichever you like...
Got one in mind?”
-Yes.
“Visualise your month as a single word in your mind… Now, mix up the letters.
Stop. There is an R, right?”
-No.
“No? That's weird…
Forget completely about the letters and just repeat the month over and over in
your mind...”
-Hmm OK
“June…June...June…”
Spectator’s jaw drops.
IQPA: Months
Here is something a bit different to the now so popular zodiac sign divination plot.
January, May and August are eliminated by mention.
I then ask them to visualise their month, in the form of a word... and, to mix up the
letters in their mind...
As soon as I get a negative response, I change my strategy and reveal the month.
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IQPA
Remember:
January, May and August are eliminated by mention.
R – June / July
B - March / April
M – February / October
O - December / September
November
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IQPA
Credits and inspiration
Always standing on the giant’s shoulders…
Much of the thinking behind how I structured my IQPAs, is based on Peter Turner's
work on Zodiac Signs. I truly think that Peter Turner is one of the best mind readers
of all time, and I do not say that lightly.
If, you are interested in progressive anagrams as a mind reading technique, you
should read the following works:
Bob Farmer / Ray Grismer – Original Anagram
Doug Dyment – Sign Language
Atlas Brookings – The Prodigal
Peter Turner Vol. 9 – Zodiac Signs
Dee Christopher – Sight
Mark Eldson – Sinner!
T.A. Waters – Signse
For more secret products for mentalists, visit:
http://www.e-mentalism.com
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