122 entries in Cards / Effect Themes / Spelling / Thought-of Cards
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Theodore Annemann A New Thought Card Spelling Effect
1931 14
Mental Spelling progressive spelling set-up
1935 17
Theodore Annemann Magic vs. Mindreading two decks, spectator puts one in pocket, from the other he selects a card mentally, card is spelled in both decks and the last card is the thought of, card also predicted
Also published here 1935 5
James Kater Thompson Kater's Improved Spelling Trick No. 28, one from a bank thought of and then spelled out
1935 29
Bob Hummer The Puzzling Speller progressive set-up, dealing placement
Related toAlso published here 1936
The Jinx (Issue Winter Extra 1935/36)
83
Thought Spelling progressive set-up, three spectators
1937 53
Quadruple Spelling progressive set-up, four spectators
1937 54
Theodore Annemann Another Thought Spelling progressive set-up
1937 54
Jimmy Kater Improved Spelling Trick progressive set-up
1937 55
Think It - Spell It progressive set-up with eight cards
1937 55
Theodore Annemann Think of a Card one of eighteen, card spelled out, short card
1937 65
Henry Christ Spell Me! thought-of card, progressive set-up
Related toVariations Mar. 1937
The Jinx (Issue 30)
195
Commander Slayton Spelling a Card merely Thought Of: Commander Slayton's Method
Variations 1938 315
John Northern Hilliard J.N. Hilliard's Method thought-of speller, ten-card set-up
1938 317
Theodore Annemann Magic versus Mentalism thought of card is spelled to from two decks, progressive spelling set-up
Jan. 1939
The Jinx (Issue 52)
363
Alphonso Much Thought three thought-of cards found by spelling, two decks, progressive spelling set-up
1939
The Jinx (Issue Winter Extra 1938/39)
367
Simultaneous Magic four decks, four people think of a card and later spell it (progressive spelling set-up)
1939 41
Multi-Spelling Trick "The repeat Spelling of Mentally Selected Cards"
Variations 1940 347
Val Evans The Auto Repeato Speller divided deck spelling stack, card thought of from one half
1941 21
Eddie Joseph The Final Speller a few cards chosen, one of them though of, it is spelled to without adjustments
1942 39
Frederick Mosteller Bravo! five decks, multiple phase mental speller, suits spelled and values counted (count-spell), see Back Room reference for corrections
Related toVariations Dec. 1943
The Phoenix (Issue 49)
200
Frederick Mosteller Encore! spelling to the thought of card, gaffed deck, count-spell
Inspired byVariationsAlso published here Apr. 1944
The Phoenix (Issue 58)
236
Theodore Annemann Magic vs. Mentalism two decks, spectator puts one in pocket, from the other he selects a card mentally, card is spelled in both decks and the last card is the thought of, card also predicted
Also published here 1944 265
Frederick Mosteller, Frederick Braue, Orville Wayne Meyer Encore Spelling to the thought of card, gaffed deck, three versions, count-spell
Related to 1945 103
Dr. Ben B. Braude Ben Braude's Brain Twister spectator thinks of a number between one and thirteen and remembers first card with same value
Variations Oct. 1946 258
Dai Vernon The Magic Spell any thought-of card from packet can be spelled to
Variations Oct. 1946 259
Frederick Braue, Dai Vernon Vernon + Braue variation of Vernon routine, any thought-of card from packet can be spelled to, see p. 320 for correction, idea by Joe Schmidt on p. 342
Inspired by Dec. 1946 281
Thought Stealer progressive set up
Variations 1948 23
George G. Kaplan Yogi Spelling Test four groups of six progressive spelling sequences
1948 186
George G. Kaplan The Eighteen-Cards Spelling Trick one of eighteen cards thought of and then revealed with spelling procedure
1948 188
George G. Kaplan The Triple Spelling Trick with the corner-short
1948 191
Vern Schoneck Spellbound two variations of a speller, spectator thinks of a card in the deck, performer puts cards on by one on spectator's hand, who spells his card in his mind, the last letter is his card
Jan. 1948
The Phoenix (Issue 142)
570
Ronald B. Edwards X-Spell-I-Mental mental speller
Oct. 1948
The Phoenix (Issue 161)
648
Bob Haskell Psychic Spell six cards on the table, spectator thinks of one, cards are mixed face down and performer touches them one by one as spectator spells his card in his head, selection is touched on last letter
Related to 1949 6
Cardini Cardini's Mind Reading Card Trick No. 16, one of six cards thought-of, shuffled back in half the deck, then spelled to, six duplicates and progressive spelling set-up
1950 33
Gerald Kosky Tricky Mentalist thought-of card is spelled to
Mar. 1953
The Phoenix (Issue 276)
1103
Dai Vernon Mental Spell progressive set-up
1957 177
Lin Searles Doublethink Speller as Lynn Searles, cut deck in three piles, cards are mentally selected and found by spelling
1958
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1958)
33
Russell "Rusduck" Duck Tele-Mental one to four spectators get cards, think of one, mental speller
Apr. 1958
The Cardiste (Issue 7)
8
Theodore Annemann Magic vs. Mindreading two decks, spectator puts one in pocket, from the other he selects a card mentally, card is spelled in both decks and the last card is the thought of, card also predicted
Also published here Sep. 1958
Ibidem (Issue 14)
14
Dai Vernon Mental Spell "Chapter Seven", one of ten, multiple out
1967 41
Paul Swinford Duo-Spell two thought-of cards, sixteen card set-up
Related to 1968 30
Edward Marlo Speller Presentation thought-of spelling with progressive set-up and optional prediction (billet index)
1968 86
Paul Swinford Duo Spell two mentally chosen cards spelled out, see p. 206 for references and mention of Swinford & Cairy's "Computer Cards"/"Cyberdeck"
Related toVariationsAlso published here July 1968 194
Edward Marlo Multiple Mental Spell four spectators spell down to mentally selected cards, stack, second method with bank of twenty-four duplicates (page 182)
1969 179
Roy Walton The Helensburgh Speller
Also published here 1969 56
Dr. Jacob Daley Daley's Version of Horowitz Mental Spell No. 129, progressive set-up
Inspired by 1972 37
Dr. Jacob Daley Daley's Psychic Tap Trick No. 202, card thought of from a few, cards on table, performer taps different cards while spectator mentally spells his card, on last tap card the selection is found
Related to 1972 49
Theodore Annemann Annemann's Mental Spell Variation No. 377, two decks, from one deck spectator selects a card mentally, card is spelled out in both decks
Also published here 1972 104
Arthur Finley Finley's Automatic Spell No. 698, progressive set-up
Also published here 1972 188
Joseph K. Schmidt JKSpell packet, progressive spelling set-up, see also p. 864 for credit information
Inspired by Feb. 1975 861
Roger Smith Think-Spell - And the Great Invisible Pass thought-of card spelled to, then put in center and comes back to top, progressive set-up
1975 5
Alex Elmsley, Frederick Mosteller another encore red & black card thought of, they are spelled to after some shuffling (see Legendary Kabbala for Elmsley credit)
Inspired byRelated toVariations 1976
Kabbala — Volume 3 (Vol. 3 No. 12)
153
Thought Speller No. 30, card from small packet thought-of, later found when another spectator says stop as cards are removed from pocket one by one
1976 48
Roger Smith, Steve Saunders, Ron Hicks The Spell of a Good Magician three thought-of cards spelled to, they then change to Aces to match a fourth card, faro
1977 9
Harry Lorayne Cast and Instant Spell progressive spelling set-up
1977 151
Tan Hock Chuan Spell your Card Spectator thinks of one card from a group of six, spells to find it
1977 13
Allan Slaight Slaight's Sequel mental speller
Also published here 1978 1116
Ken De Courcy Mental Choice
1980 7
Bob Hummer The Puzzling Speller progressive set-up, dealing placement
Also published here 1980 1
Jeff Altman Short and Sweet progressive set-up
Sep. 1981
Apocalypse (Vol. 4 No. 9)
532
Max Abrams Max Abrams version for puzzling speller and highlighting mistake in original description
Related to 1981 112
Roy Walton The Helensburgh Speller
Also published here 1981 48
Derek Dingle Miracle Mental Spell to two freely thought of cards, count-spell principle
Related to 1982 169
Charles T. Jordan Speaking of Pink Elephants ad from 1916 with color changing deck, glued pairs, later 1919 variation with glued pairs and also normal cards in between like in Menetekel, also with spelling and across phase
1983 15
Edward Marlo Mental Spell spelled to thought-of card card
1984 242
Stewart James Doublethink spelling trick with story line, works with Si Stebbins
1984
Epoptica (Issue Yearbook)
282
Paul Swinford Duo Spell No. 84, two mentally chosen cards spelled out
Also published here 1984 126
Frederick Braue Mental Telepathy Stack four spectators think of a card from a group, they're spelled out, progressive spellers (1935)
1985 1
Thought Card Detection (1938)
1985 19
Frederick Braue 2) Mental Speller
1985 13
Edward Marlo A Spelling Miracle spectator spells to freely thought of card
1988 301
Sam Leo Horowitz Mental Spelling progressive set-up
VariationsAlso published here
  • The Sphinx, Vol. 25 No. 6, July 1926
1989 xvii
Justin Higham Auto-Speller card thought of while deck is spread, suit and value spelled in two packets, then spectator deals random number of cards, bottom cards of the three piles match value, suit and card itself
Inspired byRelated to Sep. 1990
Technomagic (Issue 3)
17
Jerry K. Hartman Hot Spell thought of card is mentally spelled, duplicates
Related to 1991 662
James Swain Shocked prediction card in pocket finds one selection by spelling and matches another thought of selection
Inspired by 1992 37
Frederick Braue The Card You Took eight cards, progressive spelling, using Braue Memorized Deck
1992 3
Frederick Braue The Thought Stealer one of six cards, progressive spelling, using Braue Memorized Deck
1992 4
Frederick Braue, Dai Vernon Vernon Plus Braue thought-of cards from eight-card packet found via a spelling and down-under procedure
Related to 1992 4
Edward Marlo Predicted Mental Spell spelling effect with predictions on billets
1993
The Olram File (Issue 16)
3
Philip T. Goldstein Spellastic Aces lost, one thought-of, Jack of Clubs appears reversed in deck and thought-of Ace is spelled from there
Dec. 1993
Profile (Issue 17)
1
Peter Duffie The Psychic Speller with packet of ten cards
1993 9
Tom Daugherty Under your Spell one card is thought of
Variations Feb. 1994
Apocalypse (Vol. 17 No. 2)
2326
Paul Rosini Paul Rosini's Spelling Trick with a Mentally Chosen Card progressive set-up
1994 1205
John Northern Hilliard Hilliard's Spelling Trick with a Mentally Chosen Card progressive set-up
1994 1205
Al Saal Addition to Commander Slayton's Spelling Trick
Related to 1994 1225
Jean Hugard, Roberto Giobbi, Arthur Finley Thought Stealer spectator spells name of his thought of card, progressive set-up
Inspired by 1995 49
Jerry K. Hartman Hot Thought two spectators think of a card from deck, one spectator "think-spells" to his card as performer removes cards from deck and card on last letter is his card, second spectator uses tiny sword to stab into deck next to his card, multiple decks needed
Related toVariations 1995 265
Peter Duffie Spell Or Deal, It's Up to You! Spectator thinks of any card in packet, magician divines it, then choose to either down/under deal to it or spell to it.
1997 118
Marty Kane Part Three - Using 6 Target Cards
  • The Spell of Royalty
  • Variation #1
  • Variation #2
  • Pellmell Spell
  • Variation #1
  • Variation #2
  • Variation #3
  • Spelling and Think-King
  • Variation #1
  • Variation #2
  • Parallel Spell
  • Variation
  • Clientele Under Your Spell
  • Variation
  • Monthly Spells
  • Variation
  • Blanking Out Spells
  • Variation for Two Spectators
  • Variation for Three Spectators
Related to 1997 1325
Barry Levy Impossible Revelation reprint of instructions, first marketed in 1978 by Tannen
card thought of and then spelled to, using a deck with seventeen double enders, progressive spelling
Related to 1997 98
Peter Duffie Elucidation one of thirteen thought of
1997 11
Joe Rindfleisch Mental Spell packet routine
Oct. 1998
Onyx (Issue 5)
24
Michael Skinner, Alex Elmsley Masterful Mosteller red & black card thought of, they are spelled to after some shuffling
Inspired by Nov. 2000
Genii (Vol. 63 No. 11)
37
Simon Aronson Worker Bees Spelling trick to three selections (two chosen and one thought of) using UnDo Influence
Related toVariations 2001 37
Al Baker To Spell Mentally Chosen Card stacked deck
2003 738
Grace Ann Morgan Dead Solid Perfect card thought of from a group, progressive set up, made impromptu
Inspired by 2004 18
Juan Tamariz Spelling a Thought-of Card
2004 44
Joseph K. Schmidt Computer Virus Killer "A Novel Revelation of Two Thought Cards"
two spectators think cards from a five-card and six-card group, involving virus gag card
  • The History (credit information and references)
Inspired byVariations 2005 429
Karl Fulves Virus Variation
Inspired by 2005 431
Robin Robertson, Peter Duffie R & D's Count Spell Extra composite card, count-spelling to any card composed by suit and value separately chosen
2006
Prolix (Issue 2)
101
Gordon Bean The Perpetrator thought of card spelled to, count-spell
Inspired by
  • "Evolution of a Dream" (Stewart James, The James File)
Also published here
  • "Perpetual Notion" (Stewart James in Print, p. 67)
Aug. 2006
Genii (Vol. 69 No. 8)
73
Stewart James The Robot Deck Stack that allows you to do seven routines in a row

Mental Spell, Straight Poker, Stud Poker, Blackjack, Bridge, Scrambled Spelling Bee, Prophetic Card Discovery
2007 53
Stewart James The Clincher Spelling to thought of cards with a poker theme
Also published here
  • typewritten instructions, Aug 1947
2007 71
Jack Parker Gut Feeling one of four poker hands chosen, card thought of, everything collected and thought-of card is spelled to
VariationsAlso published here
  • The Second Deal website, Nov. 2002
2007 21
Jerry K. Hartman Princesst spectator A thinks of card in packet, spectator B randomly picks card from packet and loses it in deck, spectator A’s card is seen to not be in packet anymore, it is in correct spelling position in deck
2007 365
Jerry K. Hartman Spells and Spear-Its two spectators think of a card in deck, first spectator mentally spells out his card as magician deals and final card of spelling is his card, second spectator stabs cocktail sword into deck next to his card
Inspired by 2007 373
Arthur Finley Finley's Automatic Spell No. 698, progressive set-up
Also published here 2007 29
Allan Slaight The Eclectic Deck stack for seventeen effects
  • 1. one of five cards thought of and located
  • 2. card location
  • 3. face-up deal stopped, value used to count to selection
  • 4. spelling to thought-of card
  • 5. open prediction
  • 6. card from packet to pocket
  • 7. two-card transposition
  • 8. card from hand to pocket
  • 9. Aces stacked, then Royal Flush dealt
  • 10. five good hands dealt
  • 11. blackjack demo with rubber-banded deck
  • 12. bridge demo with all Spades
  • 13. three-way transposition
  • 14. two selections reverse
  • 15. card chosen, spelled to and some matching cards found
  • 16. Ace assembly (not explained)
  • 17. Mind Mirror challenge location
  • Final Thoughts
  • Closing Credits (credits for all effects)
Also published here
  • Ibidem #32, July 1967
2008 36
Allan Slaight Slaight's Sequel mental speller
Also published here 2008 63
Allan Slaight Group of Seven stack that allows a stop trick (1-0-1 credit information), spelling to thought-of card and Ten Card Poker Deal
Also published here
  • Linking Ring, Sep. 1988
2008 104
Woody Aragón The Cheerleader thought of card from a pile of cards is spelled to
2011 107
Tom Gagnon Double Miracle card thought of from a group, another card selected, one card spelled to and the other found at named number, using Versatile Spread Control
2011 58
Nick Trost Computer Card Spelling three spectators think of a card from a set of punched computer cards, found by spelling
Inspired by
  • Mike Zerance's spelling trick "Zerancism"
2011 847
Doug Conn Impossible Speller Mentally selected card revealed by spelled to it.
2015 21
Max Maven Composite Speller Deck is cut and half given to each of two spectators. Each thinks of a card in their half. The value of one card is combined with the suit of the other. The deck is reassembled and the composite card spelled. It turns up at the final letter.
Related to 2015 155
Bob Farmer Another Psychological Discovery card thought of and card selected, thought-of card is used to spell to selection
Inspired by 2017 3
Bob Farmer Gaffus Maximus thought-of card is named and spelled to, it's the only odd-backed card
Variations 2017 19
Steve Beam Spellbreaker mentally constructed card is spelled and found
2018 101
Steve Beam Ballistic Spellbreaker mixture of Spell Weaver and Spellbreaker
2018 104
Sylvain Juzan The Winning Triplets three cards thought of from packet, three more cards selected and lost, thought-of cards are spelled out without actually finding them, other three selections are then on top, using Triple Dealing Principle (with credit information)
2021 53
George McBride Computer Cards count-spell of a thought-of cards from
Inspired by 2022 32