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Mnemosign          By        Patrick Schlagel

Available from H&R Books       http://www.magicbookshop.com/

Mnemosign is a manuscript where I tried to address the various complaints I've heard about branching anagram effects in general, and "What's Your Sign" by Ray Grismer in particular.

By taking two subtleties, one at the beginning of the effect (And sometimes before the effect officially starts) and one at the end of the effect you can improve the effect, your odds, and your attitude about this trick.

It broke down to five reasons most people won't do this effect in it's original form.

1. Too many "No" answers                                                                                                                                                    

2. You need to carry or hide a crib OR it's too hard to remember.                                                                                  

3. Can't be repeated                                                                                                                                                                 

4.  People can't spell and ruin the effect                                                                                                                              

 5. It looks like Wheel Of Fortune.

Sooooooo-

1. I worked out some ways to cut down on the "No's".  In Grismer's basic effect, and at least three other similar variations, there are twelve possible selections, out of that number, six of them give you a worst case scenario. The spectator answers "No" two times to your questions before you can tell them what they are thinking. There are five possibilities where you will get one "No" answer. (Which you should be able to pull off without much of a problem, and only one situation where you get all correct answers.

By changing a couple of things, and trying out a LOT of charts, most of the variations have eliminated all of the "Two No answer" situations. For instance there are a couple of methods that have eight possible "one no answer" situations and four "all correct answer" situations.

Everyone is going to think a different number on that list is the most important factor, and I tried to solve all the problems. Some solutions fix 1,2, and 5 and others fix other combinations, heck, a couple fix all five problems, but create a new problem. But I figured that at least one of the solutions in the manuscript ought to fix this effect for almost everyone.

For me, "Purloined Letters" is the best solution, you don't seem to ask any questions, you just identify who is sending the strongest signal, you make a few statements (not questions, you are right every time and you don't ask for any feedback) then you MIGHT ask ONE question and then reveal their thought. In it's most abbreviated form, you could ask just two questions to arrive at their sign. In the basic effect, you might have to ask up to six questions to arrive at the answer.

 

 

Business Trip

A ring on finger effect printed in "Penumbra" magazine published by Bill Goodwin and Gordon Bean

http://www.billgoodwinmagic.com/