A twist on Steinmeyer's 'Impuzzibilities'

I am a huge fan of Jim Steinmeyer’s writings and magic. His attention to detail in the construction of his routines makes it no surprise that some of the most well-known performers of modern times have Steinmeyer on board as a consultant. That impressive list includes the late Doug Henning, David Copperfield, Ricky Jay, Lance Burton and a host of others.

Although my career focuses on close-up and chamber magic, I found Steinmeyer’s book Device & Illusion to be a helpful study of behind-the-scenes choreography and movement for my own material. Not long ago, Jim published a dozen simple effects in his monograph Impuzzibilities. Most of the items required few, if any, props. Each selection offers principles that tempt further exploration…and that’s where the fun comes in for me.

I love to take a magic principle or process and exploit it in various ways until I come up with something that enhances the original idea. To be sure, a lot of wheel-spinning goes on but once in a while it’s possible to stumble across a twist that gives an unexpected punch to the original effect.

If you have Jim’s book, then here’s a quick example. In one of his prop-less effects, a spectator is asked to imagine a random handful of loose change. The spectator is asked to count the number of coins. Next, she is asked to add the coins up. These two random numbers are subtracted one from another. Obviously, the resulting number cannot be known by the performer.

I want you to purchase the book so I am purposefully leaving out important details, but I will tell you this: the resulting number has two-digits. At this point, Steinmeyer directs the spectator to add these two digits together and this final number is revealed for a climax. The revealed number is 9 every time.

I don’t care for the final step before the revelation for three reasons. First, up to that point the mathematical process was logical and justifiable. Second, I could think of no way to ‘sell’ this final step in a script. Third, I don’t like being limited to the same answer.

So, here’s my twist: eliminate the last step altogether and ask another spectator to join in. A married couple works well because there is inherent situational humor in having them cope with a small money problem.

Walk both spectators through the process so they eventually are each thinking of their own two-digit number. At this point, you honestly cannot identify these numbers. But here’s what you do know: each spectator is thinking of one of the following two-digit numbers: 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72 or 81...the digits in each one totals 9.

Pretend to reveal their number but fail. Say, “I am new to the mindreading industry and numbers with two or three digits throw me for a loop sometimes. Do your numbers have multiple digits?” They will confirm this is true. Say, “Humor me here and give a rookie a break—think about the digits in your secret number but only keep one of them for yourself. Mentally, throw the other one away. Have you settled on one of the numbers? Good. Since it isn’t important any longer, which one did you throw away?”

Once they tell you the ‘throw-away’ number, the held-back number is easily revealed. If a spectator ‘throws away’ a 3, you instantly know the number she held back is a 6. If she throws away a 7, you tell her she is thinking of a 2. Ending the effect with this variation allows you to repeat it and now the final result is a different number nearly every time.

I've had a lot of fun doing this over the telephone or as a pre-show teaser for guests at the Disney resort.

Jim Steinmeyer's Impuzzibilities 2 is due to arrive in the mail any day now. Let the fun 'n games begin!