Magical Telephone Directory

All at the Magic Help Desk Center

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Know all Records in the Telephone Directory

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Magic Effect

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A spectator is asked to call out a three digit number, which is written down. Another spectator is asked to make certain calculations with the numbers, and announce the result. He is then asked to look in the telephone book at a page and name indicated by the results and concentrate on the name at that number. The magician concentrates, deeply and announces the name that the spectator has been concentrating only. Has the magician really read the spectator's mind?

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Magic Method

Before staring this trick, turn to page 108 in the telephone book and count down to the 9th name on the page. Write this name on a slip of paper and seal it in an envelope. Ask someone to call out a three digit number, or have three different spectators each call out a one digit number. Write this down in plain view, on a slate or large sheet of paper.

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Invite another spectator to come up to make some calculations. For example, suppose the number was 653. Ask him to reverse the number (356), and to subtract the lower number from the higher:

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653-356 = 297

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Ask him now to take the result (297), reverse it, (792) and add the two together:

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297+792=1089

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The answer will always be 1089, no matter what numbers are used. If only two figures result from the subtraction, be sure to add a zero at the left, such as 079.

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Now the spectator who is holding the telephone book is asked to look on the page indicated by the first three numbers, 108, and to count down to the name indicated by the last number, 9.

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The spectator is asked to concentrate on the name on the page and the magician appears to be concentrating also to try and read the spectators mind. After a short time, the magician announces the name that the spectator has been concentrating on. This is quite convincing mind reading magic. The trick can be varied by this method. Write the name to be chosen on a piece of paper which is then placed in an envelope and the envelope is then sealed. The spectator is presented with this envelope at the beginning of the trick which he is told, contains the magicians prediction. At the end of the trick, he is asked to open the envelope and announce the prediction.

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