NOVEMBER 1934 I want also to make a solemn promise that 'IHJS

JIM.' will not be late again. Ihe first of every month

will see this sheet of uncompromising effects in the
hands of your dealer and in tne mail to subscribers. I
When I first thought about putting out a monthly detest alibis but two weeks in Chicago on business upset
barrage of tricks, mystical whatnot, et cetera, I did- my schedule and although I had planned finishing It dur-
n't have the faintest idea of what such a time clock ing my stay there ilorny and tne boys squashed that idea
procedure might portend. I had (and still have) ideas very effectively.
for such a sheet such as have been had by no other pur-
veyor of magical wisdom. 5uch thoughts gave me great After a belated return to New ¥ork I again became
courage though, and I have become somewhat of a martyr skttlsh and wandered away to Qlens Falls with CJordon
(you Just can't be a martyr in entirety when you love feck, than whom there is no more sincere or clever ama-
it the way I do) to a monthly cause. teur in the country, and with whom there can be no rest.

Xnere was a time when a month seemed like a long So please forgive and forget. I've Just made arr-
while to me but that time is gone forever. The recep- angements that ye Jinx shall be around on time hence-
tion accorded such an unpresuming sheet as 'The Jinx 1 forth, and a staff artist sits with brush In hand so
has surprised even ye egotistical owner, publisher,, ed- that one will be mightily intrigued by the Illustrations
itor and head office boy. I now walk the streets ahd in issues to come.
feel myself dedicated to a monument that will become
heavier and heavier. (Ed., I hope) I dedicated the first copy to a memory and Inten-
ded dedicating this one to the expectation of another,
To the few dear brothers who promised me material out I think I shall Ju3t 3lt tight for a while and hope
and then forgot to follow through I offer my sincere for the best while anticipating the worst.
apologies for not being able to hold up the sheet any
longer. I'm paying good cash for complete tricks of any
type so I cannot understand why there should be a delay,
Perhaps it 13 a case of being surprised that anyone
would actually pay for contributions along magical
lines. I can use two good, clean and complete effects
a month and the more varied tne nature the better. If
I can't uoe It, it will go sailing back without any
Ciuibbling, but If I can rest assured I will be only to
nappy to receive it and will forwlth remit by check.
If interested, write me at Waverly, Hew Xork.

Vihlle in this strain or vein of illy concealed THE DBVIL'S FOUR ACHS. (Annemann)
sarcasm I may as well acknowledge the desire of several
to furnish me with columns of news and notes provided For those who want a clean and showy method, for
I would wait for tnree or four Issues in order (I am doing the four ace trlok In front of audlenaea I offer
assuming) that they might not be In the position of the my conception of the age old problem that never seeaa
man who dove into the pool and found It too shallow. to die.
I've tried to make It clear that I don't need any Duplicates of three of the aces are used and these
news, etc., except for possible late items which can be are long cards. Have them la the right coat pocket with
used to fill. I'm not doing anything other tnan produc- a rubber band, ihe deck Is unprepared and can be used
ing a monthly sheet of good, sound and practical tricks for anything else .Start by handing deck to a spectator
for tne magicians at large who buy and have bought mag- with the request that he take out the four aoes and
ical books for years. The fact that I will never includ< mark them.
a trick that isn't a complete program Item and will al-
ways keep to the straight and narrow as far as what la While he Is thus occupied palm out the three dup-
practical la concerned should be the only selling point licates and add them to the bottom of the deck. Keep
as fir as 'Ihe Jinx' Is concerned. them separated from rest of deck by the little finger.
 When spectator holds up the marked aces, take one Build up the marking feature, the faot that all
at a time and drop face down on top of deck. The ace aoes can be seen when one pile is selected, and the
that is missing from the three duplicates is left until simplicity and obvious fairness of the glasses which
last and thua becomes top card of deck. hold the cards. It's a practical method -» I hop*
somebody makes use of it.
Turning towards table call attention to four large
and unprepared tumblers. At this time the three dupli-
cate aces are passed to the top. I've never cared a lot
for nor advocated making a pass, but in this case it la
the easiest way out and the misdirection is such that a
really clever or fast pass is not necessary. At this
time there are four different aces on top of the deck,
the fourth down being one of those marked. THE FIMDSRS. (Orville Wayne Meyer)

The four top cards are now placed singly in the Ihis effect differs with the size of the audience
glasses with their backs to audience, first put one la but in each case the performer appears to have perfect
each end glass and then finish with the two center turn* control of the pasteboards.
biers. This action will leave the marked ace second
from either end so that it may later be forced by the An ordinary deok is shown and riffled. A spectator
'between 1 and V method. Inserts his finger or a knife Into the paok and removes
tue card stopped at. There is no forcing.
From here on, I would advise my readers to follow
the routine with a deck In hand. It will make the His card 13 replaced upon the deck. Two cards are
action much clearer. Unknown to the audience, the top now removed and shown. The selected card Is out to the
three cards of deck are marked aces. State that you center of pack. Performer takes pack and the two cards
will use twelve ordinary and mixed cards from deok. Just shown and states that he will thrust them REVERSED
Count them off aloud by snapping them into right hand, into the squared up deck. Suppose the two cards to be
which naturally reverses them. The first nine are thua the Two of .Diamonds and the Three of Spades. The wizard
counted but the last three ( also snapped ) are picked says that he will do this very quickly, and to show that
off to leave them at bottom of packet covering the ace it isn't necessary to see what he is doing, the action
which would otherwise be in view. Put the deck aside shall take place behind his back. Suiting the action to
as it is not used again. his words, he places deok and cards behind his back for
ABOUT QHE SECOSB. The pack is now brought to the front
The twelve cards you are now holding have the and fanned. The Two and the Three are seen near the cen-
three marked aces for the seventh, eighth and ninth ter reversed, BUT A CARJ IS BETWEEN IHffll FACING THE OPP-
cards from top. Hold this packet in left hand as for 03IIE WAY. Removing these three cards together, they are
dealing. Pan off three cards into right hand, holding turned over and the center oard IS IHS CHOSEN ONE.' In
them up to show all different. one second's time the performer has managed to thrust
zae two cards Into the squared up deok with one on each
side of the selected card.
Close fan and place them in the first glass so the
ace is at face of packet. How read this carefully, when Nothing but ordinary cards are used for this feat,
you close the fan of three that you have shown, your there are no sleights and examination of the deck would
right hand naturally comes down to the left, and the show only the regular 53 cards.
left thumb, second and third fingers square the sides
while the right hand squares the ends. This is an un- However, the effect, If shown to but one or two at
conclous action that you'll do without being told.
a time can be made to become even more miraculous. In
When you fan the second set of three, spread all sucn a case, the spectator himself may thrust the two
the remaining cards so that your left little finger cards Into deck, and still tney will be found on either
can hold a break between the last six, as you take the aide of the first chosen cardi
second set in right hand. The left little finger thus
separates the aces from the three Indifferent cards on First shall come the explanation for the first of
bottom, show the second set, but this time when squar- the described effects. At the beginning there are two
ing them up clip this packet between the seoond and duplicates used. We shall say, for Instance, the cards
third fingers, and with right fingers lift out the juu above mentioned. Thus one would have two of each. One of
packet of aces leaving behind the cards Just shwon. each is on the top and bottom of the deck. And above and
This switch is natural, quick, unlooked for and very below these two, REVERSED, Is the other pair.
easy to do in an unhurried way. This packet (aces) Is
now placed In second glass (the marked ace) and unknown Thus arranged the pack appears natural and may be
to all this glass now holds the four marked aces. The riffled without exposing the two reversed cards next to
two remaining sets of three cards are shown and placed tae top and bottom. The working should now be clear. The
in the other two glasses. card chosen by spectator (freely selected from deck) Is
placed on top of the deck. This card is then slightly
At this time you state that someone may have a raised at the rear and the one beneath removed. The sel-
suspicion regarding the location of the aces. Very del- ected card now hides the fact that the NEXT one is a re«
iberately turn the four glasses around so the four aces versed card. The bottom card of pack Is also removed and
face the audience. Have one of the glasses chosen and the pack kept at an angle so that the now reversed card
through use of the 'between 1 and 4' principle the on bottom cannot be seen.
marked ace packet is forced. Pick up this glass and
have the party who selected (?) It stand holding the The two cards thus removed are shown. The deok Is
tumbler on his hand. out to lose the selected oard, but unknown to spectators
this cut brings the selected card between the two re-
Remove the three packets from the glasses, placing versed duplicates. The performer emphasizes the speed
them face down on your left hand. Stand with your right of the behind the back action. The deck is In left hand
side to audience during this. The right hand, in put- and the two cards in right. Both hands go behind back
ting the packets into left, can cull the aces (long but instead of the two cards being thrust into the deck
cards) each time and drop them on top of cards in hand. TrtSZ ARE REALLY THRUST IWTO THE HIP POCKET and the deck
The right hand hides this perfectly and to the audience brought back into view.
it merely appears as though you evened the cards a
little. After the third packet is in hand, the last The deck now consists of only 53 cards and the sel-
oull brings all three to top. Square the deck and tip eoted card is found between the two reversed cards Just
these three up into right palm (they are easy to grab seen by all. You won't find an explanation In a carload
on account of being long cards) and reaching into right of spectators.
coat pocket for the rubber band is the getaway. Snap
the band around the packet and hand to another spectat- The extra kink for allowing a spectator to do the
or. inserting of the two cards himself is very simple. The
The finish Is up to the Individual performer. The deck is the same as before with the addition that you
four marked aces are In the glass and there are onljf have removed any other two cards (what they are is un-
ordinary Innocent cards left In the packet. No dupli- important) and placed them In a oonvenlant pocket. The
cates are to be found and the deck can be used freely. two 'finders' are removed and deck cut as In first me-
thod. Mow an explanation Is made to spectator that he back card of the two slides backwards and lines up with
Is to take pack and cards, and, behind his own back, the second card picked up. Never do the two front cards
thrust the two cards Into the pack reversed. leave the sight of the audience for an Instant.
Hand him the paok keeping the two cards In your Calling attention that It Is fc*ur card which waa
hand. Have him turn around and the moment his back la ploked first, you pull out the forward card and show It,
turned change the two cards he has Just seen for the twc laying It on the face up deck. Now, holding the two
cards you have had right along. Hand them to him telling cards In hand as one they are turned and shown as one,
hint to keep them face up, BUT ACTUALLY 31VB THEM TO HIM and the audience sees the duplicate of the card first
Jf'ACS DOViN. shown! Still holding the tws as one they are held face
down In right hand with fingers at one end and thumb at
After this he turns, fans through the deck and ac- the other. Starting at right end of the deck before you
tually finds face up the cards he Just saw and apparen- on table, the cards are all scooped along to the left
tly pushed Into the deck himself. In between them Is and after squaring are turned face up. The two face
found the oard he originally selected. sards now match and the two decks may be looked over as
there Is nothing to find.
This second method while good for only one or two
people at the most, la a stunner In Its' place.

YOUR CARD; (Orvllle Tiayne Meyer)

SYNTHETIC SYMPATHY (Annemann) Effect: A spectator draws a card while the deck
Is being held by the performer behind his back. The
Borrowing a red and blue backed deck, the perfor- selection is perfectly free and the deck consists of
mer apparently forces the spectator to take a card, the but 52 cards. However, tne performer states that the
duplicate of which the performer has already picked. In drawn card shall not be replaced. The spectator is to
short, the magician apparently knows exactly which card keep the card he has selected and the performer will
the spectator will ehoose. reveal Its' identity in a most unusual manner.

Hand one deck to be shuffled. Take It back and the So saying, the magician nolds tae remainder of
other Is handed out at the same time. Hold the deck re- deck behind his back and drawing out, one card throws it
turned in right hand, thumb at one end and fingers at face down on the table. This is repeated with a second
the other with the deck facing palm. Take the second card. Explaining that It would be otherwise impossible
deck back f*ce up in left hand, make a slight right to indicate the chosen and still mlsalng card, the wiz-
turn as you tap the long edge of the right hand deek on ard turns one oard to indicate the suit and the other
face of left deck, and at this time the left fingers to reveal the value. BO^H ARE CORRECT 1
make a slip, bringing off the face card of right pack
onto the face of the left pack. The left hand pack Is at ttethod: The simplest and most orthodox of prin-
onoe turned face down in left hand as performer asks ciples la used to acoompllsh this really effective
which deck shall be used. trick. A steoked deck (either the Eight Kings set up or
that of Stebbins may be used) Is at hand. After a false
No matter what the selection may be, the right hand shuffle or out, the deck is held behind back and a
deok is spread face down on table or floor from right te card Is selected. All you have to do Is cut the deck at
left. Turning the left hand deck with faces towards the spot from where the card Is taken. The speotator
yourself run through them to find a card. At first you keeps the chosen pasteboard and at this point the thing
notice the oard on face of deck (the added card from to do Is give the deck another false shuffle if possibli
other deck) and In running through you look for the dup-
licate of this card. The cards are being fanned very The pack is placed behind the back onoe m
slightly from left to right and when the duplicate Is more and the two cards which indicate suit and value
found the left and right thumbs behind deck slide the are pxoxiuced. It la simply a matter of oountlng down
face card to left and on top of the found duplicate. The and bringing out the FOURTH card from top, WHICH WILL
right hand now outs the portion of deck In front of BB Of THE SAME SUIT — and continuing to the THIRTEENTH
these two to back of deck. From the front It appears as oard from top WHICH WILL BE OF THE SAME VALUE!
though you ran through until you found a card and then
merely cut the deok, bringing it to the face. This principle works regardless of the
stack used and it is a nice variance from the usual
The face card towards performer Is now the card or 'put it back.'
opposite colored back and under it is the duplicate
from deok In hand. The right thumb lifts the two cards
at bottom and pushes them up about an Inch together.
Ihe left hand turns deck downward, and these two cards
are taken between the thumb and second finger of right
hand, the left hand placing deck on table face up.

The two cards are handled as one and kept always

with back to audience. They are now held In left hand,
fingers alo ng lower long edge and thumb on opposite
side (upper). The forefinger Is at the end. WANTED Questions and Answers.

The spectator Is now asked to push forward on the All of us have noticed that when magicians get to-
table or floor any one of the fifty two cards he may gether they Invariably start working out an idea that
want to select. leu pick it up without showing and put one or the other has thougnt of while day dreaming or in
it with back still outward in left hand between fingers the tiath. And I doubt very much If tnere is one of us
put pulled back about an inch so that neither card is who hasn't the Idea for an effect of some nature that Is
ever out of sight for a second. stumping us In spots for a practical met.aod.

The left first finger now presses against the back I'd like to hear from a few regarding the above and
of the set of two at the outer end. The right second start a steady question and answer column. Wames won't
finger presses down on the two differently colored be used unless desired but all questions can be numbered
backs In front where they overlap so that they may be and answered in that way. What one can't solve another
pushed forward together and the right thumb is overlap- can, and such an undertaking1 will bring out of hiding a
ping the bottom of the second card in front to act as a good many hints, tips and wrinkles as well as plentv of
stop. As you ask spectator to tell which is his card and new effects, the one sore spot in the life of any magi-
which is yours, an easy push forward is made and the cal performer. All mall to me atfflaverly,New Xork.
 TH£ DEjiON - XCXJI - CJOBLIN BOOK TEST.
B.y t h a t t i t l e one might t h i n k I was -kidding about t h i s but t h e r e have
been so many fanciful t i t l e s applied to such effects that I couldn't r e s i s t the
urge to write the above.
This method and presentation has been a great favorite of mine for
homes and spots where i t could be presented In an apparently Impromptu fashion.
Many times one is out for an evening and the opportunity arises when a book may
be glanced a t , either from the table or bookcase. At the same time one is alone
quite often for a few minutes when such a t e s t may be prepared. I'm not telling
anyone exactly how to frame this part of the test as conditions always differ.
I'm explaining how I've done It time and again and will continue doing i t in the
same manner.
In effect i t differs a lot from the usual routine and build-up. I know
that my original way of having the page and number looked up from the cards is
extremely effective and a throw off In every way.
At an opportune moment the performer takes apparently at random two
books from a table or bookcase. Deciding he needs three and being at loss as to
Just which he shall take, a spectator is called upon to give him another. This
is a l i t t l e wrinkle but remembered l a t e r . They are placed on the floor or chair
and someone asked to pick up two of them. This is going to be an out and out
force so I may as well explain i t as I go along. If they leave the right one
behind merely t e l l them to lay aside the books they have picked up as they won't
be needed again. If they Include the right one among the two, ask them to hand
you one. If you are handed the wrong one, thank them, pick up the book on floor
and lay them aside. If they hand you the right one, thank them, read the t i t l e
of the book and mention that you are using for the t e s t a book taken from the
case and selected at random. Just take this part easy and don't s t a l l or hes-
i t a t e during i t and you have the prettiest force tnat you'll ever need.
Wow for the cards. Any borrowed deck Is used and fanning them tnrough
you get on top a four, a five and an eight spot In any order. Take the book in
right hand and in covering deck for a second add the three top cards from deck
to bottom of the book, right fingers holding them there. Now have the deck i t -
self shuffled well. Take back on your left hand. Ask a person to cut the deck
anywhere and discard the upper half. As they do this you drop book from right
hand onto the lower half in left and hand the whole thing to the person asking
them to go to a far corner of the room and turn t h e i r back. They may also leave
the room If they wish as long as they can hear you.
Now you t e l l them to look at tae three cards on top of the lower half.
Tell them to take any two of them and open the book at that page. At this spot
you have a neat point. After t e l l i n g them the above continue and say, 'Just
take any two of the three cards a"nd open at that page. If you have a six and a
nine you can call i t either sixty-nine or ninety-six - i t really doesn't matter
as long as the book is opened at a page selected In some mannei -j the cards as
I want everything left to chance.' Now t e l l them to use the remaining card and
count to that word as they read along at top of page. Knowing the word they
return and you l/Uiri OMLi A ViORD OR TiVO REViiAL Iriii WORD CURiuiGriii
The r e a l k i c k I g e t out of t h i s t e s t I s t h e handling of t h e page and
word numbers from t h e t h r e e c a r d s . And I am sure t h a t t h a t point Is as f a i r as
any could b e i n t h e eyes of t h e audience. However, f a i r as i t may seem t o t h e
audience and complicated as I t may seem t o you, TH.ERE ARE QHLX 61A. POSSIBLE
JFAQS5 AND WORDS THAT CAN BE ARRIVED All
Take t h r e e cards a s follows and check with . t h i s t a b l e :

.Page 45
45 Word 8
8 T h a t ' s t a e s e c r e t in a n u t s h e l l . Beforehand you
54 8 memorise t h e s i x worda a s per t h e t a b l e . I say memorise
48 5 because I know i t t o be t h e b e s t way i n t h e long r u n . The
84 5 order in wnicn you memorise them d o e s n ' t matter a b i t .
58 4 I g e n e r a l l y cnan^e tnem around and form a s o r t of mental
85 4 sentence made of t h e s i x words i n t h e i r e a s i e s t remembered
order.
f i r s t pick out t h e books and have t h e r i g h t one
s e l e c t e d . If you have been using t h e cards b e f o r e , you can have t h e t h r e e proper
cards already on t o p . i o u have nothing e l s e t o do a f t e r person cuts deck and
l e a v e s room except t e l l them what t o d o . When they r e t u r n you know they a r e
t h i n k i n g of one of t h e s i x words you know and i t i s up t o you now t o find out
which, d i n e times out of t e n I pump I t out with a question or two or by stabbing
a t l e t t e r s . Ask them i f i t begins with a I e t c . 1If wrong, t r y a l a s t l e t t e r of
a n o t h e r . When I say 'Ask them I mean ' T e l l them b u t In a more or l e s s ques-
t i o n i n g manner. Y o u ' l l always-get a r e a c t i o n and know whether o r not you a r e
pn t h e r i g h t t r a c k . As t h e r e a r e only s i x words you J u s t c a n ' t have much t r o u b l e .
More often t h a t you would t h i n k y o u ' l l h i t i t t h e f i r s t t i m e . Remember t h a t in
t h e mind of t h e audience you have t h e most d i f f i c u l t t a s k In t h e world - t h a t
of finding out what word I s being thought of. And t o t h e audience *t might be
any word In t h e language.
As a v a r i a n c e I sometimes hand t h e person a p e n c i l
and pad and ask them t o p r i n t t h e word and put i t Immediately i n t h e i r pocket.
3t°ndlng across t h e room you can I n v a r i a b l y spot a l e t t e r or two by t h e p e n c i l
a c t i o n and know t h e approximate l e n g t h of t h e word. I n t h i s way you can h i t i t
t h e f i r s t time In p r a c t i c a l l y every c a s e . I do know t h a t under t h e above con-
d i t i o n s i t i s a f i n e working and simple book t e s t .