Jon Racherbaumer - Clockwork 2.0

CLOCKWORK 2.0 Jon Racherbaumer

Inner Circle Series

ON THE CLOCK EFFECT Arranged by Jon Racherbaumer “Originality is an escape from repetition.” -Wallace Stevens

SECOND EDITION © 2002 by Jon William Racherbaumer All rights reserved. Distributed in the United States.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ours is a collaborative enterprise. Without the supportive assistance of Edward MarIo, Roy Walton, Marvin A. Johnson, and William Zavis, this monograph would not exist. Those taking the time and trouble to record their thoughts and observations deserve our highest praise.

CONTENTS Preface Introduction to Original Monograph Mystic Twelve Recall Zodiac Card Mystery Technicolor Hour Card Chronometry Synchronicity A Few Seconds on Stay Stack Speaking of the Clock Prediction Surprise and Clock Combination Predetermined Hour Impromptu Predetermined Hour Easy Determined Hour Tell-Tale Clocks The Magic Clock Time For Si Stebbins Time Zones Stolen Hours Select Chronology

INTRODUCTION TO ORIGINAL MONOGRAPH “Let man take time enough for the most trivial deed, though it be but paring his nails.” -Henry David Thoreau

The Clock Effect using playing cards came originated at the turn of the century. Potter's Index subsequently listed thirty-eight (38) references—one of the earliest being Hercat's More Conjuring (1912). However, Fred G. Taylor’s “Crazy Clocks” in Pallbearers Review (Volume 3 - Number 3: January 1968) was the method that piqued my interest. Taylor wrote that he based his method on “an old German effect,” but cited no particulars. The interesting feature of Taylor's adaptation is the mathematical principle that accounts for the positional force. Until On The Clock Effect was published in 1971, the basic clock trick was seldom performed and remained a semi-automatic, layout trick relegated to beginner books that explained self-working, easy tricks. As far as magicians were concerned, clock tricks were merely glorified locations given a palatable presentation slant for public consumption. Otherwise the trick seemed quaintly old-fashioned and out-of-date. Besides, to interest magicians, a trick must fool or delight them and the modus operandi must be intriguing or widely applicable. This is where Fred G.Taylor’s method comes in. The principle of the Clock Effect is based on a variant of the Automatic Placement principle. This is how it works. A force-card is placed thirteenth from the top of a deck. Someone chooses an hour on the clock from one to twelve. Suppose five o'clock is chosen. A spectator then removes five cards from the top of the deck or transfers five cards from top to bottom. Either procedure removes five counting-units (cards) from the sequential number series (1-12), which results in changing the relative position of the force-card, which becomes eighth from the top of the deck. After you deal twelve cards to the table, reversing their order in the process, the force-card ends up fifth from the top of the twelve cards just dealt. In other words, the force-card is placed at a position equivalent to the chosen hour. If a spectator chose five o’clock, the force-card ends up fifth. If you are interested in the mathematics of this principle, consult Card Tricks Anyone Can Do (1968) by Temple C. Patton, particularly the chapter on “Reverse Counting.” After Fred G. Taylor published his presentation, three variations were published. Jon Racherbaumer’s adaptation, "The Technicolor Hour, " appeared in Mike Rogers' column in M-U-M (August 1969). Marvin A. Johnson next contributed another variation to M-UM (December 1970) and then Ed Marlo published "The Pre-Determined Hour " in the first issue of Kabbala (Volume 1 Number 1: September 1971).

After "The Technicolor Hour " appeared in M-U-M, the trick quickly made the rounds. From a theatrical standpoint, the Technicolor kicker provided a commercial surprise. Several magic dealers (Bill Pitts, Lou Tannen, and Ken Brooke) put out versions directly based on “The Technicolor Hour.” This monograph explains the basic presentation, along with some other approaches and ideas.

MYSTIC TWELVE RECALL Audley Walsh This effect is still baffling to anyone unfamiliar with the principle upon which it is based. In the original version, Walsh used an edge-marked card as a key. However, any kind of identifying device can be used—a crimp, nail-nick, pencil dot, or imperfection marking. The one you use should be based on the sophistication of your audience. The "natural mark or imperfection" principle to determine a key card is excellent. (See "Time Must Tell" in Phoenix #174 or Cy Endfield's Entertaining Card Magic - Part 3.) This is a variant handling. Method: Get your key card, recognizable by the marking on its back, to the bottom of the deck. The deck, if possible, should be borrowed. Perform a couple of riffle shuffles and cuts, retaining the bottom key. Spread the cards between your hands and begin dropping out cards from various places in groups of twos and threes. Say, "For this experiment we will need some cards.” This selection-procedure should look haphazard. Scatter exactly twelve cards in one group and then segregate and drop thirteen cards into another group. Pick up one of the cards from the thirteen-group and use it as a pointer as you point to each scattered group of cards. Add, "Which group of cards should we use?" As soon as the spectator chooses one, gather and hand them to him, saying, "Please further mix them in any manner you choose.” While the spectator does this, gather up the rest of the cards, square them, and casually Overhand Shuffle the bottom key to the top. Immediately table the deck and turn your back to the spectator. Continue: "I want you to keep a few cards that you've been shuffling. Then return a few to the top of the deck. First, however, remove the ones you want to keep and place them in your pocket. Next, shuffle the cards you're going to return to the deck. After shuffling them, note and remember the bottom card.” Wait for the spectator to finish as instructed, then continue (with your back still turned): "As you concentrate on your card, pick up the deck and deal some cards in a row.” When you know that the spectator has dealt at least four or five cards, turn around to instruct him exactly how to deal the cards. That is, point out that they are to be dealt into rows and so on. Do not mention numbers at all. When he deals the eleventh card, say, "That should be enough.” The spectator should stop after dealing the twelfth card. If he does not stop at that point, it does not matter. You will still be able to calculate the number of cards in his pocket.

As in the Walsh method, you know that the spectator's selection immediately precedes your key card. Therefore, you know its exact location on the table. If you count the number of cards, including your key-card, which were dealt before the selection was dealt, this number, when subtracted from twelve, gives you the exact number of cards in the spectator's pocket. Suppose that the spectator dealt six cards, followed by the key-card, the selection, and an X-number of cards. The key card turns out to be the seventh card dealt. (12 - 7 = 5.) You now know that the spectator has five cards in his pocket. (In Walsh’s method, you count all the cards to right of the key, including the key, to arrive at the appropriate number.) Knowing the location of the selection, place your left hand on it and your right hand on any other indifferent card. You then apparently further mix the tabled cards by moving your hands around, moving cards in the process. During the action, you have complete control of the selection. You can then place the selection into a centralized forceposition—unless you want to use Matt Schulien's Spread Force. Ask the spectator to turn any card in the spread face up. If he turns his selection face up, you have an opportune miracle. If this occurs, immediately say as he turns the selection face up: "Isn’t it uncanny that you've chosen your own card?” Conclude by picking up his selection and looking at it curiously, then add: "This card, oddly enough, tells me that you have ______ (name correct number) cards in your pocket!” If the selection is not turned face up, have the spectator hold onto his face-up card. Meanwhile, gather up the cards and maneuver the selection to the bottom. Place this assembled packet on top of the deck and casually Double-Cut the selection to the bottom. Glimpse it during an All-Around Square before tabling the pack. You then know the identity of the spectator's selection. Take the indifferent card from the spectator and explain, “This is a tell-tale card.” If the value of this indifferent card is equal to the number of cards in the spectator's pocket, capitalize on this coincidence. The indifferent card could also have the same value as the selection. If so, incorporate this coincidence into your presentation. Ultimately disclose of the spectator' s card and the number of cards in his pocket. Needless to say, although it is not as strong, the suit of this indifferent card could be used in some plausible way. If you want to use counting-the-number-of-pips business, remember that each card has two additional pips below the indices. For example, if the indifferent card is a Three and the spectator has five cards in his pocket, you could logically say, "Let's count the pips on this card. One, two, three, four, and five, which is the number of cards in your pocket!” Finally, name his selection, apparently having determined its identity from looking at the face-up indifferent card. There is a temptation to disclose the actual selection. Although you have it under control, resist this temptation. It will only weaken the effect. Remember: This is a mental effect, not a location trick. Other approaches and presentations may occur to you as you experiment and perform this effect.

ZODIAC CARD MYSTERY Eddie Fields Since this version has been published in three other books, if you are interested in a complete description, refer to the Appendix and look up the original sources. The important consideration is that the astrological presentation completely lifts the effect into a different realm (of the senses). Fields also used a subtlety that allowed the effect to unfold without the performer having to touch the cards prior to the so-called reading. Requirements: An astrological chart showing the twelve signs of the zodiac. You also need a pencil with some daub on the rubber eraser. Set-up: Place the pencil in your shirt or vest pocket so that the eraser is up and outside of your pocket so that none of the daub rubs off. Method: This follows the same basic procedure of the original Walsh method. Have a spectator shuffle his own deck if possible and then deal a card onto each sign on the zodiac chart. Take out your pencil and point to the signs to demonstrate what you want done. Tell the spectator that you are going to turn your back; that while you do so, he is to remove any number of cards from the signs on the chart and should pocket them. Furthermore, he is to collect the remainder of the cards and after thoroughly shuffling them should remember the bottom card of the group. This group of cards must be placed on top of the deck. As you conclude these instructions, touch the eraser end of the pencil against the top of the deck to leave a little smear of daub on the back of the top card. Turn around and have the spectator deal the cards onto each sign on the chart. He may deal them in any order that he likes; however, as in Walsh’s method, the card preceding the daubed card is the selection. The number of cards, including the daubed card, left in the deal represent the number of cards in the spectator's pocket. Since the deal could be confusing, those wishing to play it safe should have the spectator deal the cards clock-wise or counterclockwise as in the original instructions by Fields, beginning the deal at the top or twelve o'clock. After the spectator tells you his birth sign, pick up the other cards. As you pick them up make sure that the spectator's selection goes to the bottom. Then place this packet on the bottom of the deck or double-cut it from the top to the bottom of the deck and glimpse the selection. If the selection ends up on the spectator's birth sign, well... As in most cases, after glimpsing the selection, go into a Nelson-type spiel about the spectator's astral color, lucky gem, best day of the week, lucky number, and a brief cold reading or character study. If you use the Nelson charts, you will know how to proceed. As written in The Artful Dodges of Eddie Fields: "The spectator will be so fascinated with these generalizations about himself that your final words will come as a stunning, humorous, and amazing climax.”

If the selection actually falls on the proper sign, ask the spectator to name his card (after the readings). When he does, say: "I didn't really have to ask you. The stars always tell me! Any card you thought of would always turn up on his own sign! " Ask the spectator to turn over the remaining card to reveal the selection. In both methods just described, the mathematical implication is further minimized by not mentioning any numbers. The spectator is handed some cards or chooses some cards. He is not told to deal two rows of six cards and when he deals a card onto each sign in the zodiac, he automatically deals twelve cards. He may realize this; however, the number is obtained logically and is not announced.

TECHNICOLOR HOUR Jon Racherbaumer "As we know, most clock effects are dull. Their mathematical foundations are conspicuous and dilute the sense of mystery. The Taylor stunt, however, has a vouchsafing feature: directness.” "Taking a cue from Marlo's Unexpected Prediction, the following variation makes the prediction feature an unexpected climax and eliminates the billets and repeat. No explanations are necessary and the prophetic nature of the effect is self-evident..." - from Mike Rogers' column ("Table Time") in M-U-M.

This version was directly inspired by Fred G. Taylor's "Crazy Clocks," except that the predetermined feature comes as a surprise and simultaneous climax. It was originally published in M-U-M (August-1969) and was later marketed by Creative Productions (Ernie Heldman). When it was first released, effects featuring transformations of the backs of cards were fashionable. This particular method sparked many imitations after it was published. Most of them cost more than the original asking price of this booklet ($3.00). Set-up: Place a red-back force-card seventeenth from the top of a blue-back deck. Suppose that the force-card is the Jack of Diamonds. Method: Introduce the deck and ask someone in the audience to think of an hour on the clock dial from one to twelve. Say, "For example, you might like three o'clock. Therefore, I want you to remove three cards off the top of the deck and place them in your pocket. These cards will verify the number of your hour in case you forget or decide to tell me a fib." As you utter this patter, thumb over three top cards, hold them in a fan, gesture with them, and then replace them onto the deck. Hand the deck to the spectator and turn your back. After a few moments, ask the spectator if he has placed the chosen number of cards in his pocket. If so, turn around, face the assistant, and say, "You removed a number of cards equal to your chosen hour and placed them in your pocket. Right? For example, if you had picked three o'clock, you would have put three cards in your pocket." As you deliver this patter, thumb over the top three cards, momentarily hold them in your right hand, and then replace them on the bottom of the left-hand talon.

Tilt back the deck back so that the audience cannot see the topside and then DoubleCut the top card to the bottom. If the red-back force-card appears on top, you instantly know that the spectator chose twelve o'clock. Explain that you will need twelve cards to form a clock dial. Deal the red-back card face up to the table before lowering the deck and then deal eleven more cards face up and one at a time, reversing their order. If the red-back force-card is not on top, continue to keep the deck tilted back until it is dealt face up. Then you can gradually lower the deck to complete the deal. This reversecount precisely positions the force-card. Place the talon aside, pick up the face-up, twelve-card packet and hold it face up in a left-hand dealing position. Deal the cards clockwise into the configuration of a round clock, starting at one o'clock. Continue dealing until you stop at the twelve o'clock position. Down-jog this card or drop a coin on its face to mark it. This will avoid confusion later on when the spectator is asked to note the card at his chosen “hour.” At this point, by noting the relative position of the Jack of Diamonds in the clock layout, you learn which “hour” was chosen. Suppose that it lies at "six o'clock" on the mock dial. Look at the card occupying the three o'clock position. Suppose it is the Ten of Spades. Continue, "I want you to note the card occupying your chosen hour. For example, if you had picked three o'clock, remember the Ten of Spades." Tell the spectator to concentrate on his card. After a few seconds, name his card. Quickly turn the other eleven cards face down at their original positions in the dial, adding: "You could have chosen any of these other hours, but you selected six o'clock. Pause and add: “Actually, I knew you were going to pick six o'clock." Turn the Jack of Diamonds face down to reveal its red back—a kicker guaranteed to stir your audience. In my original handling, the red-back force-card was placed sixteenth from the top. Marlo advised me that a problem could arise if the spectator picks twelve o'clock because when the three cards are taken off the top and transferred, the red-back card would be prematurely exposed at the top. He suggested placing it seventeenth from the top and recommended that the effect be done with the deck face up from the outset. Why make problems for yourself? Instead of having the spectator remove a number of cards equal to his hour, have him transfer cards equal to his number from top to bottom. This is excused by making the following claim: "This is the way you wind the clock." This also quickens the procedure, but eliminates the "verification" aspect, a possible trade-off.

CARD CHRONOMETRY Jon Racherbaumer Ron Wilson coined the term, “paying the price,” which apparently suggests the following:

An effect consists of structured elements combined to form a given action procedure. When you strengthen a certain element or component in this procedure, other elements or components elsewhere in the effect’s structure will likely weaken. Analysts must decide where they are willing to ‘‘pay the price” and how high a price they are willing to pay. For example, sometimes a performer sacrifices an element of deception in order to produce stronger entertainment values and vice versa. In the following variation, the borrowed deck and certain impromptu elements are sacrificed in order to strengthen certain procedural conditions. This is done in hopes of creating a stronger deception. Students studying any variation must ultimately decide how they are going to ‘‘pay the price.” The following variation is no exception. The effect is basically the same as most Clock Effects. However, it may be more baffling than other routines because of the aforementioned conditions; (1) The cards equal to the chosen hour are pocketed and the clock dial configuration is made with the cards face down (2) The spectator notes the card at his chosen hour while the performer’s back is turned; (3) While the performer’s back is still turned, the spectator then gathers all the cards composing the clock dial and adds them to the cards in his pocket. All of these cards are thoroughly shuffled and placed on the deck. The deck is also given several straight cuts. (4) The performer picks up the deck and gives it a riffle shuffle. Without looking through the cards, the performer names the chosen hour and the selected card. (Students will recognize that this effect is similar to versions of ‘‘The Mindreaders Dream.’’) Set-up: Since you are using your own cards, the deck is pre-set. Remove the Ace through King of Diamonds and Spades. Place them in numerical order with the Kings at the face of their respective group. The Spade set-up is placed on the bottom of the remaining 26-card talon, which consists of mixed cards. The King of Spades should be the bottom card at the face of the talon. The Diamond set-up is weaved into the top of the talon so that an indifferent card is interweaved between each card of the Diamond suit. Perform the Faro Weave so that the Ace of Diamonds becomes second from the top of the deck. The entire set-up will then be: X-AD-X-2D-X-3D-X-4D-X-5D-X-6D-X-7D-X-8D-X-9D-X-IOD-X-JD-X-QD-X-KD13 X cards-AS through KS set-up. Method: Remove your set-up deck from its case. Give the spectator his instructions by saying, ‘‘You’ll eventually choose one of these cards.” As you deliver this line, begin spreading the center portion of the deck so that the faces are towards the spectator, who will see a mixture of different cards. The set-ups at the ends will be hidden from his view. Simply spread the cards quickly and casually and then square the deck. Further instruct the spectator to think of any hour. Ask him to remove a number of cards equal to his chosen hour from the top of the deck, placing them in his pocket. If you want the spectator to deal the cards into the clock configuration, you must then have a large chart showing a clock dial with all the numbers in the appropriate places. This chart could be approximately a square foot in size and would serve the same purposes as the zodiac chart. It could be constructed out of anything: art paper, cloth, or plastic. It depends on how ambitious or artistic you are. Having such a chart permits you

to keep your back turned, instructing the spectator to simply deal cards onto the clock dial drawn on the chart. If you use the chart idea, keep your back turned and instruct the spectator to deal cards face down onto the clock dial, beginning at one o’clock. If you do not use the chart, turn around and deal the cards into the clock configuration yourself. (Those suspecting marked cards will find this latter handling weak.) Turn your back again, requesting that the spectator peek at the card occupying his hour. Finally ask the spectator to assemble all the cards composing the clock dial, adding them to those in his pocket. Finally, have him shuffle all of the cards. As he is shuffling the cards, turn around, pick up the tabled deck, and get a left pinky break under the top card. Take the shuffled packet of cards from the spectator and place them on top of the deck and then quickly Triple Cut the cards to the break. Cut at 26 with the cards in your hands or on the table and glimpse the 26th card during the process. Separate the cards and give them a riffle shuffle and straight cut. The glimpsed card keys everything you need to know. First, because of the previous setup, the key card will always be a Spade card. Regardless of what hour the spectator chooses, his selected card will always be a Diamond card. The value of the key Spade card is equal to the chosen hour and the chosen card. For example, if you glimpse the Five of Spades, the chosen hour is five-o’clock and the selection is the Five of Diamonds. Now simply name the hour and selected card, using whatever showmanship you deem necessary. As an afterthought, ribbon-spread the deck face up, saying: “…and you could have chosen any of these cards.” The reason for this action is to show that all the cards are different, allowing the skeptic to further examine them for duplicates and possiblesetups. Because the value and hour are identical, astute spectators and fast company may obtain a clue as to this method’s working. In this case, instead of using the suggested Diamond set-up use a Memorized Stack. You cannot use the Si Stebbins set-up because all of the Spade cards are used in the lowermost set-up, even though it wouldn’t appear obvious because of the alternating X cards between the principal cards. April 14, 1968

SYNCHRONICITY Jon Racherbaumer This supplements “Card Chronometry.” Therefore, follow the outline of that method. The only difference in the set-up is that an edge-marked indifferent card is placed on the bottom of the deck, making the King of Spades second from the bottom or face. The edge-marks should be on the sides. As the spectator is shuffling the “clock configuration” and “pocketed” cards together, turn around and pick up the tabled deck. Casually Double or Triple Cut the edge-marked bottom card to the top of the deck.

Ask the spectator to replace his shuffled cards onto the deck and then give it several straight cuts. The difference here is that the spectator does the replacing and cutting rather than the performer. This minor condition might be overlooked by spectators and should be emphasized without dramatically pointing it out. Pick up the deck and hold it in your hands in preparation for a Faro Shuffle. Note whether the edge-marked card is in the upper or lower half of the deck. If it is in the upper half, perform a perfect In-Faro shuffle. If it is in the lower half, perform a perfect Our-Faro shuffle. Then cut the cards just above the edge-marked card, bringing the edge-marked key to the top of the deck. The card above the edge-marked key that goes to the bottom of the deck will be one of the appropriate Spade cards; hence, you are able to key the spectator’s chosen hour and selection as in “Card Chronometry.” Conclude as in the that version. One or two riffle shuffles adequately destroys traces of the set-up.

A FEW SECONDS ON STAY STACK Jon Racherbaumer If you are partial to using the Stay Stack, you can perform several effects while maintaining the Stay Stack. You can also fluctuate between using Si Stebbins and Stay Stack as outlined by Marlo in Hierophant #2, p. 61, “Marlo On Stebbins/ Stay-Stack.” Therefore, before commencing the Clock Effect, give the deck a couple of quick Out Faro shuffles, retaining the Stay-Stack order. Turn your back and tell the spectator to think of an hour, remove an equal number of cards from the top of the deck, and then place them in his pocket. He is next asked to deal cards into the clock configuration as in other versions, beginning at one o’clock. As usual, he asked to note the card occupying the position of his chosen hour. Next tell him to pick up all the cards and add them to the ones in his pocket. Turn around and pick up the tabled talon. Say. “Please shuffle your cards.” As you deliver this patter, hold the talon with the faces towards yourself and perform an Overhand Shuffle. Run12 cards, throw, and note the thirteenth card originally from the face, and then shuffle off normally. The thirteenth card glimpsed will be a pseudo-mate of the spectator’s selection. For example, if you glimpse the King of Clubs, the spectator’s card will be the King of Spades. This brief note is meant to instigate more investigations using the Stay-Stack in conjunction with the Clock Effect. Elsewhere in this manuscript, Marlo applies the Stebbins set-up.

August 15, 1971

SPEAKING OF THE CLOCK Marvin A. Johnson Marvin A. Johnson, after seeing me perform several versions of the Clock Effect, made a couple of worthy additions of his own. They were published in M-U-M (December - 1970: Volume 60, Number 7). The First Variation consists of setting up the deck in a Memorized set-up such as the Ireland or Nicola Stack. Shift the bottom card to the top, moving each card in the Stack down one notch or position. Give the deck a false shuffle. Ask the spectator to think of an hour, remove the same number of cards, placing them in his pocket (or they can transfer cards from the top to the bottom). This is accomplished while your back is turned. When you turn around and take the deck, say: “Take time…Steal a watch!” If you place your watch on your right wrist, as you pull back your right sleeve to look at your watch with your left hand (which is holding the deck face-down in a dealing position), execute the Gambler’s Hole-Card Peek. The top card keys the hour chosen by the spectator. This well-known peek is described in several books. For example, in Arthur Buckley’s Card Control - ”Sighting The Top Card - Third Method,” p. 32. There are two options: (1) Deal cards face down into the clock configuration, starting at one-o’clock. The spectator notes the card occupying the position of his chosen hour. The performer’s back is turned during this action. At this stage, the performer can compute the spectator’s selection, doubling the known number of the chosen hour and subtracting 1. For example, suppose that after glimpsing the top card, you know the spectator’s chosen hour is six. Double six to obtain twelve, subtract one, and obtain eleven. The card the spectator chooses will be the eleventh card in your original Memorized Stack. You now know the hour and selected card. The spectator may gather all of the cards and shuffle. With your back still turned you can name both items. (2) Although it is weaker to deal the “clock configuration” cards face up, especially if your back isn’t turned, a simple variation is to glimpse the top card as previously described. Have the spectator deal the cards face up into the clock diaI, beginning with one-o’clock. Have him note the card at his chosen hour. Turn around briefly and say, “Have you noted one yet?” When you turn around, momentarily glimpse the card at the position you know the spectator’s chosen card will be. Then turn around again. Ask the spectator to gather and shuffle the cards. With your back turned, name his card and hour. Marvin Johnson’s Second Variation is similar to the device used by Audley Walsh in “The Mystic Twelve.” Johnson suggested shuffling a pencil-dotted card to a position thirteenth from the top of the deck. Now when you go through the usual procedure for the clock effect, when the spectator begins dealing the cards into the clock dial, reversing their order, note the position that the pencil-dotted card falls. Count backwards

or counter-clockwise from twelve o’clock until you reach the pencil-dotted key. This will give you the spectator’s chosen hour. The pencil-dotted card is a known force-card as well as the key card. Conclude the effect as usual. December -1970

PREDICTION SURPRISE AND CLOCK COMBINATION Edward Marlo This is not a Clock Effect, but the same basic principle is applied to make it work. The effect is an interesting change-of-pace from having to read many variations on the same theme. This effect also apparently was the template for a trick called “Overkill” that was published in Close-up Fantasies – Book 1 (1980), pp. 73-76, and later reprinted in The Art of Astonishment – Book Two (1996), pp. 183-184. Wes Emberg and Allan Ackerman collaborated and ratcheted up the climax. The title of the trick is aptly named. Requirements: A red-back and blue-back deck. Marlo liked to use Aristocrat and Lord Baltimore brands because their back designs provided a pleasing color contrast. Set-up: Choose a force-card such as the Queen of Hearts. Place the Red-back Queen of Hearts twenty-first from the face of the Blue deck. Remove the Blue-back Queen of Hearts and place it in the Red card case. Then place the rest of the Red-back cards into the Blue card case. Place the Blue card case and Red cards into your inside coat pocket, putting it temporarily out of play. Place the Red card case into a side coat pocket. Method: Introduce the deck. Do not show the backs, but simply table the cards face up. Ask the spectator to cut off a small packet, which he should leave squared on the table in front of him. Pick up the rest of the deck and say, “I need about the same number of cards, although I’ll take slightly more to be on the safe side.” Deal and count 20 cards one at a time onto the table, reversing their order. Do this quickly and in steps as though you were estimating the size of the packet and not the number of individual cards. Count off about 15, pause, deal and count 3 more, pause, and deal 2 more. The counting is done silently and should appear as though you are checking your packet against his packet. Next deal the 20 cards from your left to right in a face-up overlapping row. Point out that you do not know how many cards he cut off. Add, “Whatever number you eventually arrive at, I’ll count that number from left (point to your left) until we reach a card at that number.” Ask the spectator to count his cards. From this point, the effect is automatic. The

eventual count will always end on the Red-backed force-card, which in this case is the Queen of Hearts. Slide the Red-backed Queen of Hearts out of the spread, leaving it face up. Remove the Red case from your side coat pocket and shake it so that the card inside rattles. Continue: “Earlier today I placed a prediction card in this case.” Pick up the tabled Queen of Hearts from the spread and turn it face down, adding: “You chose the Queen of Hearts. The card in the case matches.” Remove the card from the card case face up. Continue: “The odd thing, however, is that this card has a blue back.” Turn the card face down, revealing its Blue back. Touch the back of the face-up spread with the right-hand Blue-back card and use it to flip over the spread, revealing Blue backs. Add, “…and all of these cards are blue!” Pick up the remaining face-up talon and ribbon spread it face down, showing Blue backs. The surprise here is clear and direct even though the effect is ambiguous. The prediction aspect is straightforward, but the different-colored-backs aspect can be interpreted two ways. Some lay people will think that you have apparently changed the color of the deck from red to blue, depending on how convinced there were that you were initially using a red deck. Otherwise, they will assume that the deck was blue at the outset and the only red-back card in the deck was the one chosen. Since many things in magic happen invisibly, the results of many effects can be interpreted several ways. This is not important to entertainers because they primarily want to surprise and delight their audience through child-like fantasy. Those emphasizing the puzzling aspects of an effect must study the ambiguities of effects which will have a bearing on which method and approach you use. Students can perform this effect without using a matching card. If so, merely disclose the chosen card as having a different colored-back from the rest of the deck. April 7, 1968

At this point, Charles T. Jordan’s effect, “The Contrary Clock,” is worth mentioning. His version appeared in The Ten New Tricks Series: Number Four, titled, Ten New Prepared Card Tricks (1920) and features an interesting principle that may be applicable today. It is also the first effect in print to suggest the use of a chart—a circle drawn onto a square piece of stiff cardboard. This is the Jordan effect: Twelve cards are dealt face down into a clock configuration, using the cardboard chart as a guide. Each card represents an hour. The spectator thinks of an hour and notes the card occupying that space on the clock dial. The performer places a Joker in his coat pocket. The chosen card now apparently transposes with the Joker. The performer then removes the selected card from his pocket and the spectator turns over the card at his hour and finds the Joker.

Jordan’s method required some preparation, but the overall effect is very clean. Remember, too, that the spectator turns over his supposed selection and finds the Joker. Secondly, the cards dealt onto the clock dial are dealt prior to the spectator thinking of an hour and no cards are cut-off or transferred during the procedure.

PREDETERMINED HOUR Edward Marlo This extends inherent possibilities in "The Technicolor Hour” and introduces a prescient feature where the performer proves that he knew beforehand which hour would be chosen. Effect: A card is removed from a shuffled deck and put into the performer's pocket. The deck is shuffled and someone is asked to think of an hour on the clock from one to twelve. The performer turns his back as an assisting spectator removes an equivalent number of cards from the deck and places them in a pocket. The performer then turns around and deals twelve cards into a mock clock dial. That is, the cards are dealt in a complete circle at positions representing the hours of a clock. The performer turns his back again and the spectator looks at the card occupying the position of the chosen hour. He is then asked to gather all the cards making up the "clock dial" and shuffle them together. The performer faces the audience and after a moment of concentration he names the selection. As a kicker, he removes the card previously placed in his pocket and asks the spectator to name the chosen hour. The value of the "prediction card" matches the chosen hour. There are three significant features in this presentation worth noting: (1) The performer does not look at the faces of any cards during the presentation. (2) The cards composing the clock, the cut-off cards, and the talon are shuffled together by the spectator while your back is turned. This destroys crucial evidence. (3) The prediction card is previously placed in your pocket, yet it accurately forecasts of the freely chosen hour. Requirements: A regular deck, plus its Joker. Set-up: Arrange thirteen cards of mixed suits in numerical order from Ace to King. Place them on top of the deck and insert the Joker fourteenth from the top. Method: Introduce the deck and table it face up. Perform a couple of Riffle Shuffles above the stack. Since you can see the cards during the shuffle, the Joker will mark off the stock to be retained and prevent you from accidentally mixing indifferent cards into the set-up. Pick up the deck and position it from an Overhand Shuffle so that you can see the faces. Run off 6 cards, noting the sixth one, and then throw the balance of the deck on top. Run 7 more cards and throw. This maneuvers the noted card thirteenth from the top. Remember it.

If you prefer to Overhand Shuffle with the cards face down, simply undercut, run off 13 cards, injog, and shuffle off. Then complete the rest of the Jog Shuffle sequence. Your objective is to put thirteen cards above your set-up and to know the thirteenth card. If you choose to shuffle face down, then note the thirteenth card when you spread the cards face up to remove the Joker. You will not have to count. As you locate the Joker and upjog it, the thirteenth card is adjacent (to the left) of the Ace in your set-up. Remove the Joker without showing it and place it in your pocket. Say, "Before we begin, I'm going to remove a card which will later have a bearing on this experiment in time. I want you to think of any hour on the clock from one o'clock to twelve o'clock." Place the deck face down on the table and turn around. Ask the assisting spectator to remove a number of cards from the top of the deck that are equal to the chosen hour. For example, if "three o'clock" is the chosen hour, three cards should be taken off the top of the deck. Tell him to place these cards in a pocket or out of sight. There is a logical reason for this action, which will be explained later on. Once these actions have been carried out, turn around and face the audience. Take the talon and say, "A clock dial consists of twelve numbers or hours..." Quickly deal 12 cards face down to the table. Deal them one at a time, reversing their order. Place the talon aside. Pick up the 12-card packet and deal them face down in a circle, beginning at the one o'clock position. Notice that the last card dealt (twelve o'clock) is slightly jogged inward. This serves to mark off the position of twelve o'clock and the audience unmistakably knows the positions of the other hours, moving clockwise from the jogged card. Explain the representative clock dial and casually pick up the talon. Say, "When I turn my back I want you to look at the card occupying the position of your chosen hour..." At an opportune moment, secretly palm off the top card of the talon. Then drop the talon on the table and turn around. While the spectator looks at the card of his chosen hour, slip the palmed card into the same pocket containing the Joker. Marlo used the top pocket of his shirt or jacket. When he placed the Joker therein, he left it protruding. When he added the palmed card at this step, he pushed the Joker into the pocket and left the palmed card protruding. If you use another pocket and both cards end up inside and together, make sure you know which one is the palmed card. Ask the spectator if he has looked at his card. Tell him to remember it and to gather all the cards comprising the mock clock. Say, "Shuffle all the cards together. In fact, shuffle them into the deck and destroy all traces of what has just happened. Place the deck in your pocket and add them to the other cards."

Turn around and face the spectator. Look at him and appear to be concentrating. Say, "Please make an image of your card in your mind." Name the force card glimpsed earlier. Pause a couple of beats and then remove the protruding card from your pocket (or the "palmed card" from inside your pocket). Hold it with its back to the audience and say, "Remember the card I removed before the proceedings? Which hour did you choose?" When the chosen hour is named, disclose the "prediction card" and show that its value matches the hour. NOTES The numerical set-up used in conjunction with the Clock Mechanics automatically puts a matching value-card on top of the talon after the clock-cards are dealt off. If eleven or twelve o'clock is the chosen hour, the matching value-card will be a Jack or Queen. Explain to the audience that the Jack represents 11 and the Queen represents 12. This problem is overcome if you use Brand No. 500 playing cards, which have values up to thirteen. If you like, eliminate the Joker and do not remove any card prior to the trick. You can still create a mental effect by naming the chosen hour. Instead of palming off the top card of the talon, glimpse and remember its value instead. Then name it after the selection has been announced. If you want to do a conventional Clock Effect without the mental aspect or 12-card setup, you can start from scratch with a borrowed deck. The only preliminary action required is to get a known card 1thirteenth from the top. This could be done by looking at the faces of the cards, but the following four Marlo approaches are better. FIRST APPROACH Have the spectator shuffle the deck. Take it back and explain how cards are supposed to be taken off the talon, a number of cards equal to the numbered hour. Say, "For example, if you thought of seven o'clock, take off seven cards." Demonstrate by dealing seven cards face down to the table. Pick them up and replace them onto the talon, but in the process glimpse and remember the bottom card of this seven-card packet. Perform an Oout-Faro Shuffle to further mix the cards and maneuver the glimpsed card thirteenth from the top. SECOND APPROACH This is the same as the First Approach except that the force-card is held out. Have someone shuffle the deck and then add the force-card to the top via a palm. Its advantage consists of avoiding a glimpse that Fast Company might catch.

THIRD APPROACH After the spectator shuffles, glimpse the bottom card of the deck. Deal six cards face down to the table as per your ruse- explanation. Casually Overhand Shuffle the bottom card of the talon to the top. Replace the six cards on top and then perform an Out-Faro Shuffle. FOURTH APPROACH This was Marlo’s favorite. After the spectator shuffles, take back the deck, and glimpse the bottom card. Explain that you need twelve cards to make up a clock dial. Deal twelve cards face down to the table. Ask the spectator to shuffle them. Demonstrate by shuffling the talon and maneuvering the glimpsed card to the top. Ask the spectator to replace the shuffled 12-card packet on top of the talon. "The Predetermined Hour" was first published in KABBALA (Volume 1 - Number 1: September - 1971). It was later published in ON THE CLOCK EFFECT (1971), pp. 1213, and in THE UNEXPECTED CARD BOOK (1974), pp. 115-117. Marlo's original notes are dated April 17, 1968.

IMPROMPTU PREDETERMINED HOUR Edward Marlo This is almost identical to Marlo's "The Predetermined Hour" except no set-up is needed. This makes it convenient to perform and its simplex procedure and method are meant for laypersons. Astute cardmen will be unimpressed. Method: Have the deck shuffled and then hold it face down in your left hand. Make no attempt to glimpse any cards, but tell the spectator that you will use twelve cards, one for each hour on the clock dial. Deal twelve cards face down to the table. Have the spectator take them for further shuffling. Put the talon in position for an Overhand Shuffle and indicate such a shuffle to the spectator. In the process, glimpse the bottom card of the talon and then shuffle it to the top. Table the talon and remember the glimpsed card. Suppose it is the Queen of Hearts. Ask the spectator to replace his shuffled cards on top of the talon. Instruct him to think of an hour on the clock dial and then ask him to remove an identical number of cards off the top of the deck and place them in a pocket. Turn your back as this procedure is performed. Take the talon and reverse deal twelve cards face down to the table, following the standard procedure to set the cards. Explain that these cards will make up the mock clock dial. Deal the cards face up one at a time so that you will see when the glimpsed card is dealt. When it falls, you immediately know the spectator's chosen hour. After all twelve have been dealt into a face-up packet, say: "Before we start, I will remove one card from the deck."

Quickly spread the cards face up between your hands and locate a card with a numbervalue that corresponds to the chosen hour. Do not let anyone see this card. Place it in your pocket. Make the mock clock dial in the outlined manner and ask the spectator to note the card at his hour. Then ask him to assemble the "clock cards." add them to the talon, and shuffle the entire deck. This is done while your back is turned. The rest follows the basic routine. Name the selection and reveal the prediction-card from your pocket. "Time For Laymen" was published in The Unexpected Card Book (1974), based on notes taken on May 2, 1968. It is a detailed rendition of the Fourth Handling of "The Predetermined Hour.”

EASY-DETERMINED HOUR William Zavis This was excerpted from a letter written by William Zavis and sent to Jon Racherbaumer on July 10, 1971: The Predetermined Hour effect can be done without a set-up. After the cards are shuffled, get a glimpse of the 13th card by any of the suggested methods. Have the spectator think of an hour, then cut off and pocket the corresponding number of cards (after you have stuck the Joker in your pocket, as in Marlo’s routine). Deal off 12 cards, reversing them in the process. Deal them out in a clock dial, starting at one o’clock, but deal them face up, counting to yourself as you deal. Note at which hour the previously glimpsed card fans. Let us say it is five. You must now find yourself a Five. If there is one in your layout, you can palm it off when you gather up the cards. Otherwise, you ask the spectator to note the card at his hour and to point it out to the other spectators after you turn your back. If you need extra time you can have the spectator gather up the cards after pointing out his while your back is turned. You, of course, are quickly running through the rest of the deck and finding a five, which you then switch for the Joker in your pocket as In the original routine. Since the spectator is making a mental selection there is no reason why the cards should not be laid face up. The student studying this manuscript must also study his audience and how they react to various methods. He must also note whether audiences can discern the differences found in each effect. There are certain conditional procedures, if acknowledged by an audience, that create a tore puzzling and creatively artistic effect. Some of the conditions are as follows: I) Whether the deck is borrowed or not. 2) Whether the spectator or performer shuffles prior to the effect. 3) Whether the cards equal to his chosen hour are cutoff or transferred to the bottom of

the deck. 4) Whether the performer keeps his back to the spectator, how often and when, 5) Whether the ‘clock dial cards’’ are dealt face-up or face down. 6) Whether the talon remains on the table or in the performer’s hand while his back is turned). 7) Whether the selection is named (mental) or tangibly disclosed (location). There are other details besides the seven listed above. If these conditions are pointed up or are obvious, it’s logical that the more aware a viewer becomes of the circumstances of a given effect, the more he is going to follow its implications and consequences. In the end, if he’s puzzled, the challenge and subsequent appreciation of the effect is increased and enhanced. To briefly conclude on this point, an efficient method is usually one in which the salient points frequently remembered by the layman are easy to do and effortlessly direct. Professionals often take this route. The purist never does.

TELL-TALE CLOCK Roy Walton This version uses a 52-card pack and was the first one to use two selections. In Roy Walton’s own words: Run through the pack face up and say that you would like to have two cards selected. As you run through the cards count 12 cards from the face. Close up the spread, taking a left little finger break below the face 12 cards and turn the complete pack face down, maintaining a break and saying, ‘‘It would be better if I didn’t see the cards you take.” Start to spread the face-down pack between the hands for two cards to be removed and as you do this count 13 cards from the top and mark off this position by pressing your right second finger against the face of the appropriate card. When two cards have been taken, close up the spread, and take up the breaks with the left little finger still 12 cards from the face and the left third finger 13 cards from the top. Cut off the packet above the third finger and place it face down on the table. Have one chosen card replaced on top of this packet and then take all of the cards above the left little finger and drop them on top of the tabled section. Have the second chosen card placed on top of the cards on the table and place the cards remaining in your left hand on top of all. These actions will result in the chosen cards being positioned at numbers 13 and 39 from the top of the pack. Any control you prefer can be used in preference to the one just described, as long as the cards end up at the correct positions. Give the pack a false shuffle and cut and hand it to a spectator. Tell him that whilst you look away, he is to transfer cards one by one from the top of the

pack to the face and as he does this he is to mentally say, “One o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock” and so on, stopping the transfer of cards at any hour he wishes. Request him to move the cards silently, so that you will have no clue of his chosen hour. When he has completed his chore, take back the pack and perform one perfect Faro Shuffle (In or Out). Now take the top two cards of the pack and place them face down on the table at “12 o’clock.” Take the next two and place them at 1 o’clock and continue placing pairs down in each hour position until you have formed a complete 12-hour clock face. Remember you place the pairs down in a counter-clockwise direction so that the last pair you place down will be at position one (1 o’clock). Point out that you have formed an imaginary clock face on the table and point out various hours on the clock so that the spectators are quite clear on the positions and will be able to count to the correct hour at the final stage of the trick. Ask the spectator who chose an hour previously to now reveal it. When he has done so. count around to this hour on the clock face. Mildly point out that he could have chosen any hour he wished and then turn the pair at his chosen one face up to show that they are the two selected cards chosen at the beginning of the effect. POSTSCRIPT For those who do not like card tricks that involve selections, try the effect this way. Secretly arrange the four Aces at positions 13, 26, 39, and 52 from the top of the deck. Proceed as described previously until you reach the Faro Shuffle. Here you must do two Faro Shuffles instead of one. (Again, these may be In or Out-type shuffles.) Distribute the cards to make a clock-face, but take off four at a time and place at each position, placing them down in a counter-clockwise direction as before. When the spectator reveals his chosen hour, leave the four cards in this position face down and then turn all the other groups face up to reveal their mixed state. Finally, turn the four cards at the chosen hour face up, disclosing the four Aces. Like all Faro tricks, this one can be done without Faro Shuffles. But in my opinion, it becomes a very much poorer effect in so doing. Briefly, in the first version of the trick the selected card must be controlled to positions 13 and 25. When you have the hour chosen, instead of letting the spectator transfer cards from top to face, hand the top 12 cards to a spectator and ask him to place some in his pocket and return the rest to the top of the pack. The clock face is now formed, but instead of taking the cards off in pairs and placing them down, deal out the cards one at a time as you would in a card game, but dealing around the imaginary clock face in a counter-clockwise direction until the 12 pairs have been formed. Mention that the unknown quantity of cards in the spectator’s pocket will represent an hour. Then count around to this and conclude as previously described. For the ‘‘postscript’ version the Aces would go in at positions 13, 25, 37, and 49 from the top and after the hour quantity had been pocketed, you deal out four rounds of 12 cards

to give you your four packet groups around the clock face. A patter theme for the postscript-version might be to find out the things a person thinks of most at a particular hour of the day. August- 1971

THE MAGIC CLOCK Roy Walton In his own words, another variation: “This is a variation of the clock dial effect using the presentation angle of a magical clock dial that will assist any spectators to become successful conjurors; the method, as usual, is simple math, thinly disguised as a card trick.” It is necessary first of all to hand spectators A and B twelve cards each, but they should not be aware of the quantity of cards they have. There are many ways to achieve this. The one I normally use is to glimpse the two face cards of the pack and remember them in the 2-1 order. The pack is held in an overhand shuffle position and cards are drawn off by the left hand as follows: Top and face together, top, top and face together, top. This group of six cards is then replaced on top of the pack. This very quick milk build technique is simply done as if playing with the pack whilst talking and not in the manner of a normal overhand shuffle. The key cards are now at positions 3 and 6 from the top. The pack is now given two In-Faro Shuffles, remembering that the shuffle only has to be accurate in respect of the section containing the keys. In the first shuffle the top six must weave accurately and in the second shuffle the top twelve must weave accurately. The two keys are now positioned at 12 and 24 from the top. By holding the squared pack face-down in the left hand with the near short end a little higher than the front one, the right hand can lift what you estimate to be a little more than 12 cards with the thumb at the near short end and then drop one or two cards from the right thumb until the first key you remembered is visible at the face of the upper group. This section is handed to Spectator A. A similar procedure is adopted for the packet handed to Spectator B. your key card, of course, being the original face card of the pack. Place the remainder of the pack on the table and ask two spectators to shuffle their respective packets. Explain that whilst you turn away. Spectator A is to deal a number of cards onto the main pack or the table, remembering the number of cards he deals down, and then hold the cards he is left with behind his back so that you will not be able to see them when you turn around. Finally, tell him that the number he chooses to deal onto the pack must be an even one and that you’ll shortly explain the reason for this. Turn away whilst he carries out your instructions. Then he has finished, turn around again and explain to Spectator B that he should do exactly the same thing, but the quantity of cards he chooses to deal onto the pack must

be an odd one. Say this is to prevent him from coincidentally dealing the same number as Spectator A. When Spectator B has finished, turn around and say, “You each have a packet of cards being held behind your backs and I would now like you to place these in your pocket, but as it is particularly important that each of you do not know the quantity of cards you are placing in your pocket, please exchange packets with each other before pocketing them. Just in case you subconsciously counted the cards whilst you were holding them behind your back.” When the packets have been exchanged and pocketed, request one of the spectators to shuffle the main pack and then hand it to you. Hold the pack face-down in the left hand and take cards off the top one by one, showing their faces to the two assisting spectators and counting out loud as you do this from 1 to 15. (It is really only necessary to show 11 cards, but the number I5 is a throw-off for any subsequent reconstruction of the effect) As each card is shown, it is turned face down and dropped on the table to form a facedown packet. Request Spectators A and B to remember the cards which fall at the positions of the quantity of cards they dealt onto the pack earlier in the effect. When 15 cards have been shown, pick up the packet from the table and drop it on top of the pack. Now carry out the following overhand shuffle: Undercut half the pack, in-jog, and shuffle off, cut at in-jog, run four cards, and then throw the balance of the pack on top. Say that you will reveal a vital conjuring secret to the spectators and it will assist each of them in finding out the card the other has noted. In other words, Spectator A will find Spectator B’s card and vice versa. Deal the top 12 cards in a circle on the table to form a clock face, the cards being dealt in a clockwise direction and the first card being dealt at one o’clock and the last at 12 o’clock. All cards are dealt face down. Say that this is a magic clock that will assist the spectators in their tasks. Request Spectator A to remove the cards he pocketed earlier and re-emphasize the care that was taken to insure that this was an unknown quantity of cards. Ask him to count the quantity of cards and then use this number to count around to the appropriate hour on the magic clock’. Ask Spectator B to name the card he noted earlier, and then have Spectator A turn over the card he reached on his count, showing it to be the same one. Repeat this same procedure with Spectator B, thus finding Spectator A’s card. August - 1971

TIME FOR SI STEBBINS Edward Marlo Because you are now familiar with Marlo’s “The Predetermined Hour,” you appreciate this application. Since the force-card is usually positioned thirteenth from the top, this makes the distribution found in the Si Stebbins set-up advantageous. Likewise, in the light of recent effects using the Si Stebbins stack, all conducive to creating longer routines, this application is another possibility.

Method: After performing some other effects such as those in “Si Stebbins Sorcery” and while maintaining the Si Stebbins stack, table the deck and go into a short patter spiel about the clock effect and time. After explaining the usual business of choosing an hour, removing an equal number of cards off the top and so on, turn your back to the spectator. Ask the spectator to cut the cards several times, using straight cuts prior to your instructions. Once he has his removed cards safely pocketed, ask him to deal twelve cards onto the table, forming a small packet. Turn around and pick up the packet. Form the clock dial configuration on the table, starting at one o’clock. Tell the spectator to peek at the card of his chosen hour as soon as you turn your back again. When you are certain that he has peeked at his card, have him gather up the clock-dial cards. Instruct him to add them to those cards from his pocket and shuffle them together. Finally, instruct him to place these cards on top of the deck. As an afterthought, turn around and pick up the deck. Glimpse the bottom card in your most deceptive manner. This card keys the spectator’s selection. For example, assume that the bottom card is the Three of Hearts. This indicates that the spectator’s chosen card is the Three of Spades. Always go to the next suit in the Stebbins suit sequence of C-H-S-D. Immediately hand the deck to the spectator and say, “Shuffle all the cards.” With your back turned again and after suitable deliberation, name his selection. August 24, 1971

This same set-up can obviously be applied to an Ace to King-type set-up, giving the operator the same results. What is interesting about using this kind of set-up is that it lends itself to doing Marlo’s “Predetermined Hour,” despite permitting free cuts. In other words, glimpse the bottom card as in the method just described, which keys the subsequent force-card. This card also tells you how many cards to lose off of the top to get a card with a value matching the number of cards cut off by the spectator. For example, suppose you glimpse the Ten of Hearts on the bottom of the deck. The spectator will select the Ten of Spades. This also tells you that you must lose three cards off of the top. How do you compute the number of cards to be lost? It is easy. Subtract the value of the bottom key from 13. If the value of the bottom card is 8, you must lose 7 cards. These excess cards can be sloughed off during a shuffle or can be dealt with openly.

A French writer of the 11th Century wrote: ‘‘The choice of ideas is invention.’’ Sometimes what we discard is more indicative of our creativity than what we save and

eventually publish. Too much is published these days and much of it is derivative, coming out of combinatorial activity. Harvard psychologist, Jerome S. Bruner, wrote: “One could design a computer to do that, but it would be with some embarrassment, for this is stupid even for a computer, and an ingenious computer programmer can show us much more interesting computer models than that. To create consists precisely in not making useless combinations and in making those which are useful and which are only a small minority. Invention is discernment, choice. If it is not brute algorithm, then it must be a heuristic that guides one to fruitful combinations.’’

Here is another relevant anecdote from John Cage’s book, Silence: ‘‘During a counterpoint class at U.C.L.A., Schoenberg sent everybody to the blackboard. We were to solve a particular problem he had given and to turn around when finished so that he could check on the correctness of the solution. I did as directed. He said, ‘That’s good. Now find another solution. I did. He said. ‘Another.’ Again, I found one. Again, he said, ‘Another.’ And so on. Finally, I said, ‘There are no more solutions.’ He said, ‘What is the principle underlying all the solutions?’”

Perhaps it’s time to ask ourselves, “What is the principle of all these solutions? What is the underlying notion behind the other notions?”

TIME ZONES Edward Marlo Set-up: As in “Time For Si Stebbins,” the deck is previously set in Si Stebbins order. Method: Table the deck and request that Spectator A cut the pack several times, giving it straight cuts. As this is done, turn your back to the audience. Next ask Spectator A to think of any hour on the clock and to remove an equal number of cards off the top of the deck and so on, following the procedure already outlined several times in this manuscript. When he has finished following your instructions, turn around and pick up the talon. In squaring the cards or in the process of handing them to Spectator B, glimpse the bottom card. Remember it for-it keys your first force card--the one Spectator A will eventually select. Instruct Spectator B to repeat the same actions of Steps 2 and 3. Once again you turn your back. Turn around and pick up the remaining cards and place them aside or in your pocket. Use any ruse for logically handling the talon as you glimpse the bottom card. As in Step 4, you now know the card Spectator B will eventually select. Pick up each 12-card packet in front of each spectator (in turn) and deal them into a pair of clock configurations, placing them side by side. At this point you can go into some business about “different time zones’’ and that Spectator A’s clock dial represents Eastern Standard Time and Spectator B’s clock dial represents Central Standard Time. Turn your back and ask each spectator to note the card at his chosen hour. Request that both spectators assemble all the cards, having one volunteer shuffle them to further mix

them. After some byplay, name both selections. Several patter approaches should suggest themselves. Also the student can work out several handlings on the glimpses and when and how they are taken. August 23, 1971

STOLEN HOURS Edward Marlo There are so many ways to go with this approach. The underlying idea is the same as “Cardician’s Dream” in Marlo’s The Cardician. That is, the bottom card is secretly crimped. More specifically: The deck should be borrowed and can be completely and thoroughly shuffled by the spectator. This is a redeeming feature. On getting back the deck, crimp the bottom card, using Marlo’s “Method For Crimping” or any other crimp you may prefer. Then explain that the spectator is to think of any hour on the clock dial from one through twelve. Upon deciding, he is to secretly and quietly transfer a corresponding number of cards from the top to the bottom of the deck. He does this while your back is turned. If you are seated at a table, the spectator can do everything under the table. Explain that he must deal twelve cards onto the table or he can select twelve cards from the center of the deck. He then can form his own clock dial, dealing them in any order he likes and starting on any “hour” he prefers. It may seem arduous or complicated to explain the procedure for making a clock dial, but you will find that it is easy enough to do while your back is turned. Depending on the approach you want to take determines what happens next; however, by picking up the deck, you can determine how many cards are below the crimp, which permits you to know the spectator’s chosen hour. Another quick effect is to have the spectator shuffle his deck. The advantage here is that you apparently need no key cards and the deck can be shuffled. Hold the deck face up and request the spectator to think of any hour and remove that many cards off the face of the deck. Casually say: “Of course, you can think of any hour up to twelve.” Quickly thumb over twelve cards and note the thirteenth card. Turn your back. The spectator does as instructed, putting the cards in his pocket. You turn to face him and take the deck face up for an Overhand Shuffle. In the shuffle, run off twelve cards, noting what position your previously noted card falls. Example: Your noted card falls ninth. Subtract 9 from 13 to obtain 4, which will be his chosen hour.

You can now table the deck, if you wish to go further. Give the cards a couple of riffle shuffles. During the shuffles, note the card fourth from the top or control a known card to the fourth position. Deal the cards into the clock dial, starting at one o’clock. Tell the spectator to note his card at his chosen hour while your back is turned. Name his card and tell him that the number of hours he took was “four.” August 8, 1971

If you waded through this entire manuscript you have probably found something to your liking—an effect, method, principle, or idea. The purpose of this consolidation is to provide you an intact body of methods on a single theme. Such a work can be read in one sitting or can be studied piece-meal. My primary goal is to stimulate your thinking. Perhaps you will develop new ideas, methods, and completely different effects? Perhaps after reading all of the methods, you may decide that you will not use any of them? However, at least you will have studied some new methods and now have a wider understanding of the classic Clock Effect. - JWR

SELECT CHRONOLOGY "Crazy Clocks" Fred G. Taylor January - 1968 The Pallbearers Review "The Technicolor Hour" Jon Racherbaumer March 29, 1968 Letter to Edward Marlo "Prediction Surprise and Clock Combination" Edward Marlo April 7, 1968 Letter to Jon Racherbaumer "Card Chronometry” Jon Racherbaumer April 14, 1968 Letter to Edward Marlo "The Predetermined Hour" Edward Marlo April 17, 1968 Letter to Jon Racherbaumer "Prediction Surprise and Clock Combination'” Edward Marlo April 17, 1968 Unpublished notes in final form "Synchronicity" Jon Racherbaumer April 23, 1968 Letter to Edward Marlo "The Technicolor Hour" Jon Racherbaumer M-U-M (Mike Roger’s column, "Table Time”) August - 1969 "Speaking of ... the Clock Trick" Marvin A. Johnson M-U-M December - 1970 A quoted letter from Leslie May

The Pallbearers Review (“Etcetera" column) May - 1971 An idea on handling Marlo's "The Predetermined Hour" William Zavis July 19, 1971 Letter to Jon Racherbaumer "Tell Tale Clock" Roy Walton August 1, 1971 Letter to Jon Racherbaumer "The Magic Clock” Roy Walton August - 1971 Letter to Jon Racherbaumer "Time For Si Stebbins" "Stolen Hours" Edward Marlo August 8, 1971 Telephone conversation with Jon Racherbaumer "The Predetermined Hour" Edward Marlo September - 1971 Kabbala On The Clock Effect September - 1971

Jon Racherbaumer