101. The Haunted Pack

Effect: A pack of cards divides to reveal a chosen card.

Secret: Ask someone to take a card, look at it and remember it. Point to the top card of the pack. As you do this you secretly drop a few grains of salt on the top card. The spectator puts his card on the top of the pack and the pack is then cut, so the chosen card is hidden somewhere near the centre. Hit the edge of the pack with the heel of your hand and, thanks to the secret salt, the pack will divide at the chosen card.

102. Miserable Money

Effect: When you shout at a coin, it gets so upset it bursts into tears!

Secret: Secretly conceal a wad of wet tissue paper between the first and second fingers of your right hand. Borrow a coin and place it directly on top of the tissue. Be careful that you do not allow anyone to see the tissue as you do this. Now squeeze the coin and the tissue together. Water drips from the tissue and it appears that the coin is crying.

103. Two In The Hand

Effect: Someone thinks of one of two items, you predict which.

Secret: Give someone any two items. They could be coins, cards, buttons – anything you like. He holds one in one hand and one in the other. While your back is turned, ask him to think of either object – he has a free choice. To help him concentrate suggest he holds the chosen object up to his forehead. After a short while, ask him to lower his hand and you then turn round.You know which he chose as the hand holding it will be lighter than the other. Holding it up causes blood to drain from that hand.

104. Match Restoration

Effect: A matchstick is broken in half then magically made whole.

Secret: You need a handkerchief with a matchstick hidden in its hem. A match is taken from a matchbox and wrapped in the handkerchief. Ask a spectator to break the match through the material but make sure it is the one hidden in the hem that he breaks. Shake out the handkerchief and the match just removed from the box falls out. Casually put the handkerchief (with the broken match concealed in the hem) back into your pocket. It appears that the match was restored by magic.

105. Vanishing Ring

Effect: You make a finger ring vanish.

Secret: The ring is tied to a long piece of elastic which runs up your sleeve to a safety pin attached to the top of the sleeve.The elastic should be long enough to allow you to put the ring on your finger. Take the ring off and pretend to show it in the air. When you let go, the elastic carries the ring up your sleeve. You could, if you wish, find the ring (a duplicate) in a sealed box that has been on your table since the start of the trick.

106. On Your Mark

Effect: A selected card is located within seconds.

Secret: With a soft black pencil draw a diagonal line down both sides of a pack of cards. When you show the trick, you remove the cards from the case and ask someone to take any card, remember it and return it anywhere in the pack. Pick up the pack and look at your pencil mark. At one point there will be a small back mark out of alignment with the rest of the line – that is the chosen card.

107. Metal Bending

Effect: A spoon is bent and then straightened again.

Secret: Take the spoon in your left fist. Position the bowl so it rests on the table. Move your right hand over the left and change the left grip to hold the spoon by third and little fingers. As you pretend to press the spoon against the table top, bring your hands up to a vertical position as if really bending the handle. Move the hands back and forth as if the metal is becoming really supple. Blow on the spoon and throw it on the table. The handle is straight.

108. Spirit Initials

Effect: A spectator's initials appear on his own hand.

Secret: Hand someone a soft pencil and ask him to print his initials on a sugar cube. Take the sugar and secretly press your thumb against the initials. Drop the sugar in a glass of water. Ask the spectator to hold his hand over the glass. To show him what to do, you guide his hand over the glass. As you do this, press your thumb against his palm. You have now transferred a copy of the initials to his palm. He will receive a surprise when he sees the initials on his palm.

109. A Phantom Message

Effect: Someone's name mysteriously appears written on your arm.

Secret: Secretly find out someone's name and write it on the back of your forearm with a piece of soft soap before you perform this effect. This will be invisible to our audience until your rub some cigarette ash or soot over it. At the appropriate moment during your performance, you can dramatically reveal this name!

110. Beads Of Mystery

Effect: You mend a broken necklace by magic.

Secret: There are two threads in the necklace – one through all the beads and the other through all but one. Tie one knot at the top of the short thread and two knots on the long thread. Show the beads then cut off the bottom bead. The beads slide off the long thread into a glass on your table. It looks as if the beads are all separate. Pretend to drop the loose thread into the glass but secretly keep it in your hand. Make a magic pass and then show the beads magically rethreaded.

Fellow magicians agree never to reveal their secrets!