A complete mentalism act that you can carry in your pocket.
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PHANTINI’S Challenge Mental Act
By Gene Grant
CONTENTS
PHA NTINI SM...REVI SITED ....................................................................................................................... 3 MIRACRYPTO IV .............................................................................................................................................. 5 SWA MI CA SE ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 CURR EN CY CLAIRVOYAN T .....................................................................................................................10 ME ANI NGF UL NUM BERS ........................................................................................................................11 PHA NTINI’S PS YCHI C S YM BOL S ........................................................................................................13
The system called “Phantinism” first appeared in my book “The Mental Key” which was published in 1956. It used the psychological force in combination with the equivoque resulting in a very versatile and useful new mental system for close-up use. In my use of the equivoque I used a system of first “touching” and then “picking up” to give consistency to the routine of selection in the event the first or second choices were not the “force” object. Unless there is a consistency in the technique of selection the ambiguity of choice becomes painfully transparent. Therefore I will give each move in the routine and the reason why that particular move is more psychologically sound than any other. The five objects are lined up in front of the spectator with the “force” object second from left as he looks at the objects. This is the position most often picked and thousands of trials have proven this. (1) You ask the spectator to simply “touch” any object. The chances are excellent that he will touch the “force” object and if he does you stop the routine right here and have your prediction read which of course has predicted the force item. (2) If he does not touch the force item on his first choice then you quickly ask him to touch another object. If this is the “force” item then you tell him to pick an object in each hand and to think very carefully because he is about to make an important decision. You must stress the “importance” of this decision because this helps impress him with the idea that this is the purpose of picking up two items.. .to make a choice between them! Tell him to hand you one of the items. If he hands you the force item you recap how he could have handed you either of the items but some impulse caused him to decide on the “force” item and you have prediction read. If he keeps the “force” item you take the opposite side and stress how he could have “retained” for himself either item but he chose to keep the “force” item. Either selection seems logical from the viewpoint of the audience. (3) If he does not touch either of his first two choices on the “force” object then you handle the remaining three objects as follows. Take the first two objects which were only “touched” and push them to one side. Now tell him to “pick up” two items. Note that picking up makes him commit himself since he has only touched the two previous items and now you give your statement of the “importance” of his next decision which will be deciding which of the two items he will hand you. If one of the items which he holds is the “force” item then you proceed exactly as described for the first two items. You interpret his selection according to your needs. Simply push aside the one remaining item as though that had already been eliminated by the final culminating “picking up” of the two items.
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(4) If he leaves the “force” item for the last object on table then you have a miracle again. Stress how he has eliminated four items and left that one until last and again have your prediction read and it is correct. If the system is used exactly as I have outlined it you have a logical and consistent series of acts that lead to the ultimate choice you desire to force. This system can be used in many ways. It is easier with four objects but not quite as effective. You can use twelve or more objects but nothing is gained by the addition of more objects. It has been found through years of use that five objects is about the best number of items to use particularly because of the psychological force attempted in the beginning of the routine.
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MIRACRYPTO IV
The original “Miracrypto” routine was printed in my book “The Lost Book of Mental Secrets” and then in “The Mental Key” l revised the routine and this present routine is based on the revised routine but I have improved the handling of the elimination and have supplemented it with a two-person effect. You will need twelve charms. These do not have to be expensive. In fact, the type l use are used as prizes in the penny candy machines and can be secured from a novelty company for a small price. In your mind divide the twelve charms into the most outstanding ones or “primary objects” and the less outstanding or “secondary objects”. Associate the pairs that you put together which should not be too difficult as you only have six pairs to deal with as shown in fig. 1. In the routine you place six pairs of charms before the spectator lined up as fig. 1 and he is to think of any pair. Now you mix all the charms together and proceed to divine which two objects he is thinking of. Next you line up the pairs again but push three pairs apart from the other three pairs. Now one spectator thinks of any pair in one group of three pairs and another spectator thinks of a pair in the other group of three. This is supposedly done so that they will think of different pairs. Now you tell each spectator which pair he is thinking of. Finally you line up five objects and ask a spectator to touch one. Whichever one he selects you have already predicted on a slip of paper which was written before the experiment began. In the first effect you line up the charms as shown in fig. 1. “P” stands for primary and “S” stands for secondary. After spectator thinks of one you mix the twelve charms all together and then you push six objects to right to form “Pile B” as shown in fig. 2. Note that this puts a pair of “primary objects”, a pair of secondary objects and an unmatched primary object and secondary object in Pile B. Now you ask spectator if he sees the items he is thinking of in the group you have formed in Pile B. If he answers “Yes” then you know he is thinking of either the pair of primary objects which are matched or the pair of secondary objects which are matched. It would be “P1-P1” or “S1- S1” in fig. 2. If he says FIG. 1
SIX PAIRS OF CHARMS
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FIG. 2
PILE B
PILE A
“No” that he does not see his items then you know he is thinking of pairs P3-P3 or S3-S3 in Pile A. If he answers that he sees “One of them” then you know one of his objects is either P2 or S2 in Pile B. Let us say that you know from his response that he is thinking of either P1-P1 or S1-S1. Boldly push forward one of the P1 pair and say “Is this one of the items you are thinking of?” If he says “Yes” then you push forward the other P1 object and state that is the other object. But if he is not thinking of a primary object and says “No” to the question then you push forward all charms in the pile one by one except the two you know he is thinking of (S1-S1) stating “and neither is this.. .or this... etc.” If he were thinking of the unmatched pair (P2-S2) then you push forward the primary object first (P2) and proceed making your elimination in the same manner only you would eliminate down to one item and then locate the second object in the thought-of pair in pile A with the spectator assisting by concentrating intently. FIG. 3
PILE B
PILE A
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Now when you have two persons think of a pair you avoid having them both think of the same pair by giving each a choice of only three pair instead of six pair as in the first effect. Spectator A will think of either S1-S1...P1-P1...or P2-P2 as shown in fig. 1. Spectator B will think of one pair of the remaining three pair. Mix charms all together and then pull out the six charms as shown in fig. 3.. . Pile B. You will note the P1-P1 are the only pair from the three pairs that Spectator A originally had a choice of. S3-S3 are from spectator B’s piles and P2-S2 split between two groups of pairs. .. therefore when you ask if the spectator “sees his items in this pile” you know immediately when he answers which pair he thought of without resorting to further elimination. If he says “Yes” then you know he thought of P1-P1. If he says “No” you know he thought of S1-S1 in Pile A and if he says “one of them” then you know P2 in Pile B and the other P2 object is in Pile A. For the final prediction effect we use Phantini’s special system of the “equivoque” which has been described in the preceding effect.
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SWAMI CASE
The mentalist writes a prediction on a business card and seals the card in small plastic case and lays the case on the table. Three different numbers are now called out by members of the audience. Mentalist removes the card from the case and hands it to a spectator. It is found that he has predicted all the numbers called. The nail writer is used but there are several subtleties introduced that make a much more perfect mystery. First of all I have developed what I consider the perfect method of holding the writer in readiness for use so it can be readily placed on the thumb nail when needed right in front of your audience. We use one of the thumb nail writers with the wings. Take one of your business cards and with an X-Acto blade make a tiny slit about the length of the barrel of the writer down near one corner of card as shown in fig. 1. Now take the writer and push the barrel up through the slit and the writer will be held firmly in place as shown in fig. 2. The barrel sticks up through the printed side of the card. To get the writer secretly on your right thumb nail your thumb goes under the card and simply pushes into position in writer...a little tug and barrel comes free from slit. The tiny barrel can be easily concealed in your handling of the card. When using the nail writer we have always thought that unless the card is placed inside something that the method is too easily guessed. A pay envelope seems too contrived and does not naturally fit into a close-up presentation. The little plastic cases of the type that printers give you to hold a few of your business cards make a perfectly natural holder for the prediction which is written on a business card. The one I use has a transparent pocket on one side and a solid pocket on the other side. The prediction card will go into the transparent side which also has a small rectangular hole cut in the cover which forms the base of pocket as shown in fig. 3. The swami nail writer is attached to card as explained and this card is slid with printed side up into transparent pocket. The case is closed and laid on table so side with opening in cover is concealed FIG. 2
FIG. 1
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FIG. 3
from view of audience. This opening must be concealed by fingers all during the routine. In the presentation you open up case and remove business card and as you are talking you get writer transfered from card to nail of thumb. Now turn card over and pick up a pencil and pretend to write three numbers...you actually write the third one which is a seven (7). Turn card over and slide back into transparent pocket of case, close case and lay on table with gimmicked side down. Now ask that three different digits be called. You will usually get a seven called within the three calls but no harm is done if you don’t. Don’t be in a hurry to pick up the case. In the process of recapping what has happened you do pick up the case for a moment which gives you a chance to write the two numbers besides 7 which were called.” If seven is not called you write the first two numbers that were called. Lay case back down on table and ask people to repeat the numbers they called as you are not certain yourself what they were. Now open case, remove card and ask the spectator to read numbers you wrote. If seven was one of the numbers called your written numbers may not be in the same order but it is even more effective if they are not. If seven was not called you say, “Well, you called the numbers 246 and I had 247. I started to write a 6 but changed my mind.”
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CURRE NCY CLAIRVOYANT
The mentalist takes several dollar bills from his billfold and folds them up into billet size. He then borrows a bill from a spectator and has it serial number recorded...bill is folded like the other bills and a spectator is asked to reach among the bills and try to locate the borrowed bill by intuition. He picks a bill...the serial number is checked and he has located the correct bill. This effect is accomplished by an old idea in mentalism but we introduce a clean new switch which makes it look like a FIG. 1 miracle since a borrowed bill whose serial number has been recorded is successfully located. The five or six bills that you pick out of your billfold are special bills that all have the “same serial number”. This is accomplished by going to the bank and asking for several bills in a series. When you get home take an ink eraser and erase the last digit of each serial number and the other seven numbers will all be identical. Now one of these bills is folded three times with serial number inside. You use a small 3 x 5 memo pad which you have gimmicked by having the same cover on top and bottom. Since it is spiral bound this is easily done. Place a rubber around the middle of pad and slip folded bill under rubber band near edge as shown in fig. 1. Bill is hidden underneath pad. Now you take your special bills out of your billfold and start folding them into billets. Ask someone who has a new or fairly new bill to loan you one and ask him to fold it as you have shown with other bills. As he is doing this you pick up pad and hold in left hand and remove rubber band. Take his bill and lay on pad held by left thumb. Now turn to another spectator and as you do you turn pad over and reveal hidden bill now held by left fingers and pass it to spectator and ask him to open it up and you will jot down serial number. Fold the cover now uppermost underneath so spectator’s borrowed bill is sandwiched between the two covers. You now write the serial number down and give sheet with numbers to spectator to hold. Take the bill which is refolded and mixed in with the other bills. Since the bills all have the same serial number he cannot fail to pick the “right” one. The pad with the stolen bill can be placed in your coat pocket if you wish. When you get ready to return the spectator’s bill you can avoid giving away one of your special bills. You have another bill in your wallet which has been torn in half and the pieces are lying one on top of the other. Bring these out and hold them so the two pieces extend out from your and look like two separate bills. Say, “You’ve been so kind to help me, I think I’ll give you two for one. ..does that seem fair?” Hand him the two pieces of a bill and immediately reach in your pocket and remove some scotch tape and tear off a piece and hand it to him and say, “...and here’s some tape to stick those two pieces back together.”
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MEANINGFU L NUMBERS
A small pocket-sized calculator is handed to a spectator and he is asked to punch any four numbers that have a special meaning to him such as the last four numbers of his social security number, his phone number etc. He does this and you now ask him to push the multiplication sign. You mention that the year is 1981 so have him punch 81 into calculator and then push the plus sign. Next he is to push his age into calculator. You tell him he can “fib” a little but not to get too far off. Now he is to push the equals sign and he will get a grand total. Tell him to write down this total on a piece of paper and to push the “Clear” button so all calculations are erased. Now you take calculator and state that you will attempt to go back in time.. .you will pretend you are him and will punch buttons at random in the hope you can duplicate his calculations. You get an impression and correctly state his age, then you tell him the four numbers that he started with, and finally you tell him digit by digit the grand total of all of his calculations. The calculator is “gimmicked” but this will fool those that know the standard effect of predicting a number by switching the equals and memory recall buttons. You can buy inexpensive calculators now that have the memory feature and are very thin, many in little book-like cases that fit into your pocket. The one I gimmicked was an Etron 300A-1 that retailed for about $10.00 and has a liquid crystal display. The back can be very easily removed being held in place with two tiny Phillips screws. The circuit plate which is wafer thin is held in place with about six screws. When these are removed the buttons are loose and can be switched in any manner you choose. You want to switch the M+ or “Memory” button and the equals buttons. I also switched the M- and % buttons because the memory buttons which were four in number were a different color and everything “balanced” up when I was through. After buttons are switched, place button “pad” pack in position and screw circuit plate back and replace back. Everything looks normal. If a black m shows up after number on display when memory system is in use you can conceal this by sticking a black “press-on” dot over where “m” appears on display. It will be up in the right hand corner of display frame and will look like a trademark. Now follow the effect as explained.. .the four digits are punched into calculator...let us say they are 9188 which is multiplied by 81 and the age of 45 is added which gives a grand total of 744273. When he pushes the equals button he is really pushing the memory button but he still gets the correct total so everything looks all right. He copies down the total and pushes the “clear” button. Unknown to him the total is still stored in the memory bank of calculator. When you take calculator you first push the MR (memory recall) button and total will appear on display. Mentally add these digits in total together. They equal 27. Now you must estimate age of person who assisted you. You know he is over forty. Add nine (8+1) to 27 and you get 36. ..add nine to this and you get 45 which is his correct age. Now subtract 45 from the total on display. Push the M+ button to get a total (remember you switched the M+ and equals buttons). Now divide this total by 81 (the year number)
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and you will get the first four digits thought of. Now push the MR (memory recall) button and you get the grand total again. This effect is not based on the “nine principle” although the year number used gives a total of nine. Nine is best to use as it gives you a wider spread in guessing the age but if 82 is used you would add 8 to total of digits to guess age and if 83 were used you would add 7 etc.
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PHANTINI’S PSYCHIC SYMBOLS
The mentalist shows 25 cards that have various simple geometrical designs on them. He states that since the average person can only think of two or three designs when asked to name one this will give a much wider choice. The cards are mixed and cut several times. The mentalist dons a blindfold and turns his back. A spectator takes the deck and deals cards from top of packet face up on to table one card at a time until he feels the urge to stop. At that time he looks at top card of packet, shows it to someone else and shuffles it into packet. He also picks up dealt cards and shuffles them into packet. Now the mentalist picks up a pad and draws a design on it but does not show it to audience. He asks the spectator to describe the design he looked at. Then the mentalist shows that he has drawn that very design on the pad. A special deck of mnemonically designed symbols is used. Each design is easy to remember and the number it represents because of built-in memory features that are shown in the list of symbols (see next page). The designs are stacked from one to twenty five in order shown in list. When the spectator deals cards off the top of the packet face up on table he stops and looks at top card of packet. The blindfold you have on can be a folded handkerchief but it does not cut off downward vision which you gain by raising your eyebrows slightly. When you tell him to show the card to someone next to him, you wait a moment and say, “Have you done that?” At that time you turn your head for a moment which enables you to glimpse the top card of the stack of dealt off cards. Let us suppose it is design #8 (the two rings).. .then you know the design he looked at is design #9 (the tic-tac-toe) which is the next one in sequence. Tell him to shuffle up the cards etc. You have obtained the necessary information and since you are blindfolded the momentary turn will pass unnoticed especially since all eyes are on the spectator showing the card to the other spectator. When you show the designs initially you can give the packet a false shuffle and numerous cuts as long as you do not destroy the known order of the designs. There have been similar arrangements devised before but I think this one will win favor because of the simplicity of the designs and the ease with which the arrangement can be remembered.
