A Useful "Number" Trick
By Edward Victor

BORROWING a pack of cards. the conjurer asks anybody in the room to think of any card. This person is handed the pack, he is requested to note and remember at what number his card stands from the bottom of the pack. In other words he counts the cards face upward in his hands until he comes to the thought-of card, and notes its number. He is now asked to cut the pack several times.

The magician takes back the cards. gives them a further cut and places them behind his back for a second. immediately returning them to the assistant saying that he has discovered the card. He remarks: "Don't tell me the name of your card. but just say at what number it was from the bottom of the pack." If, for example, the assistant replies "Thirty-seven," the conjurer says: "That's funny[ I have altered it to the forty-fourth." This is duly verified by the assistant himself.

Method: First borrow a pack and secretly bend the right hand top corner of the second card from the top slightly inwards. The easiest way to do this is to bend the right hand top corner of the bottom card with the left forefinger and then, gripping the top and bottom cards firmly between the left thumb and fingers, pull away the rest of the pack and put it below them. This brings the bent card into position second from the top. Have a card mentally selected and hand the pack to the thin er face downward, requesting him to ascertain at what number his card lies from the bottom of the pack. The bent corner of the second card is quite invisible as he takes the pack, as it is covered by the top card.

Having found the number his card occupies, the assistant is asked to cut the pack several times - ordinary single cuts, each one completed.

On receiving the cards back, you bring them to their original order by cutting the pack one above the bent, or crimped. card. Placing the pack behind your back for a. moment quickly transfer seven cards from the top of the pack to the bottom. Return the pack to the assistant and inquire the number his card originally occupied. The final position of his card will be seven higher than the number he tells you.