The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley — Volume 2

1994
Written by Stephen Minch
Work of Alex Elmsley
495 pages (Hardcover), published by L&L Publishing
Illustrated with drawings by Amado Narvaez
Language: English
206 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Stephen Minch Acknowledgement
Alex Elmsley The Microcosm of Magic
Also published here
  • Gamagic Catalogue, New Series No. 5, ca. 1953
 1
Chapter One: Flourishes
1
Stephen Minch Note on Dating on dating of the items
 		2
Alex Elmsley The Tower Bridge Cut Charlier cut in both hands
 		7
Alex Elmsley Little-Finger Spinner out of right-hand end grip
 		11
Alex Elmsley The Multiplying Aces roll-down between the fingers
Also published here 13
Alex Elmsley The Rosette roll down with five coins
Related to 19
Alex Elmsley Two-Ball Roll rolling two balls between fingers of both hands
 		22
Chapter Two: Hidden Thoughts and Future Deeds
27
Alex Elmsley The Fan Prediction touched card matches with prediction
Also published here 29
Alex Elmsley Angle Jog Switch as cards are fanned
Also published here 30
Alex Elmsley Hidebound Forecast card with different back design is found in wallet as prediction, card-to-wallet method with ungaffed wallet
Related to 33
Alex Elmsley The Mexican Prediction free selection is predicted with two cards (value and suit)
Related toVariations 37
Alex Elmsley Face Your Brothers three selections are placed face-up in deck, face to face with mates
VariationsAlso published here 39
Alex Elmsley Cull Feeding to feed cards next to reversed cards while spreading
 		40
Alex Elmsley A Delicate Balance freely removed selection's color is named repeatedly, edge-mark in center
 		45
Alex Elmsley It's a Small World ten card version
Related toVariations 48
Alex Elmsley Halfway to Heaven not all cards
 		51
Alex Elmsley Verbum Sapienti dictionary booktest with multiple spectators
Also published here 53
Alex Elmsley Open Intruder unknown odd-backed card is found with open prediction procedure from face
VariationsAlso published here 56
Jack Avis Avis Spread Switch credit information
Inspired by 58
Alex Elmsley Brownwaves II two cards are selected with the "card at position of cut-off number"-procedure, performer stops spectator
Variations 60
Alex Elmsley Cutting at 26 multiple methods
 		60
Alex Elmsley Faro Check with credit information
 		61
Alex Elmsley Brownwaves III two cards are selected with the "card at position of cut-off number"-procedure, then named
Related to 64
Alex Elmsley Counting while Spreading brief
 		64
Cut Glimpse in the hands
 		66
Alex Elmsley Multiple Mind Reading spectators receive some cards, shuffle and think of top one, combined packet is given back
Variations 67
Alex Elmsley Double-Cross selection and mate are thought of, groups displayed, matrixing principle
 		69
Alex Elmsley Like a Rolling Bone forcing the number four with an ungaffed die
 		73
Alex Elmsley Failure number is thought of and card at this position in shuffled deck, performer divines both (most of the time)
Also published here 76
Bill Simon Covered Side Steal
78
Alex Elmsley Auto-Prediction three cards are predicted written on another playing card
Also published here 80
Alex Elmsley Divina-Sign packet of eight cards with designs, three chosen by dealing procedure, divined
 		83
Alex Elmsley A Card from Cagliostro packet of eight postcards with cities, three chosen by dealing procedure, predicted as postcard message
 		85
Alex Elmsley Aussi-Mental three cards selected through dealing process out of performer's hand, named by performer
 		87
Alex Elmsley Animal, Vegetable and Mineral pack of children's picture cards, three selections made and divined
Variations 89
Alex Elmsley The Octal Pencil Liar's Matrix, spectator selects number column and reads out print color lying on one of them
 		93
Alex Elmsley Verbum Veritas Liar's Matrix, spectator selects word column and reads out print color lying on one of them
 		97
Alex Elmsley Pack of Lies Liar's Matrix, spectator selects card column and reads out their colors, lying on one of them, different methods:
  • Mnemonic Method
  • Marked Deck Method
  • Unmarked Deck Method
  • Lewry's Platform Presentation
 		100
Louis Nikola, Alex Elmsley Card Mnemonics
101
Colin Lewry, Alex Elmsley Lewry's Platform Presentation
Inspired by 105
Chapter Three: Exotica
107
Alex Elmsley Still Taking Three sandwiched card vanishes, reappears in half the deck face up, three methods
Inspired by 109
Alex Elmsley ATFUS Precursor
110
Alex Elmsley Pseudo Duplicate see next pages
 		111
Alex Elmsley Bottom Slip Cut
114
Stephen Minch ATFUS Credit Information
116
Alex Elmsley Point of Departure from sandwich to pocket
Related toVariations 118
Alex Elmsley Economy Class Departure without double facer
 		122
Alex Elmsley ATFUS Variation
123
Alex Elmsley Rollover Switch as reversed card is put on table
 		123
Alex Elmsley Prayer Vanish
Also published here 126
Alex Elmsley The Fiddle with the Biddle in the Middle card appears between sandwiched cards in deck, then vanishes from sandwich and reappears face-up in deck
Also published here 129
Push-In Change
130
Alex Elmsley The Red and the Blue two decks change place except for two selections in them
Related toVariationsAlso published here 131
Alex Elmsley The Shy Chameleon triumph routine in which backs are not seen to delay color changing deck effect
 		136
Alex Elmsley Turn-About Card card visually turns over when snapped
 		140
Tony Kardyro, Elmer Biddle Kardyro-Biddle Steal Sequence
141
Cy Endfield "Hofzinser" Top Change
141
Alex Elmsley A Small Revelation four miniature cards are glued together in stepped formation, one of them turns over
 		144
Alex Elmsley Fool's Mate joker as cupid and method
VariationsAlso published here
  • Genii, Mar. 1973
 149
Alex Elmsley Jubilee
Variations 153
Neal Elias, Bert Fenn Bottom Reverse deck turned over above cards
 		153
Edward Marlo Pull-Down Cut
155
Alex Elmsley Plunger Shift for two cards
 		159
Alex Elmsley Separating the Men from the Boys Kings and Jacks alternated, Queens change place with Jacks
 		161
Alex Elmsley A Problem with Duplicate Identities two cards are put on table, two selections are shown to be the same, then table cards are turned over and are unchanged
Variations 166
Alex Elmsley The Imp of the Inverse card vanishes from pack, was never there, pseudo duplicate
 		168
Edward Marlo Nine as Six
168
Alex Elmsley Sum Talk of Alexander value of selection is used to deal to another selection and so on through the deck, sum of all values equates a number from beginning
 		171
Alex Elmsley Switchy-Coo card a chosen number is reversed, then changes to previous selection
Also published here 175
Alex Elmsley Half Packed one half is put in pocket, other half vanishes, selection reappears
 		178
Paul LePaul, Alex Elmsley Bluff Pass
179
Alex Elmsley Second Link two selections, named number corresponds to distance between those cards
Related to 183
Alex Elmsley Counting while Spreading brief
 		183
Alex Elmsley Diamond Cut Diamond Ace to Ten of diamonds in order, selection transposes with named value
Related toVariations 186
Alex Elmsley Signing Off performer names card an position, then all cards have performer's signature
 		189
Alex Elmsley Signature Piece signature travels from red backed to blue backed deck
 		192
Hindu Shuffle Force
194
Alex Elmsley Shakedown credit information on the plot
Related toVariations 197
Chapter Four: Marsupial Favorite
205
Alex Elmsley Pocketpick visible card in breastpocket turns out to be later selection
Related to 207
LTP Steal of bottom card in right hand
 		208
Alex Elmsley Breast Pocket Switch card in LTP for card openly in breast pocket
Related to 209
Alex Elmsley Pockets Full of Miracles card is looked at by three people, everybody sees a different card. they all come from different pockets then
 		211
Alex Elmsley Finessed Riffle Force
211
Alex Elmsley, Edward Marlo Bottom Deal Switch of single card
 		212
Jack McMillen Card-from-Pocket Extraction from deck bluff
 		215
Alex Elmsley Reluctant Cards to Pocket ten cards one by one
 		217
Alex Elmsley 5 as 6 False Count
219
Alex Elmsley Duplicitous Cards to Pocket six cards, two duplicates, one by one
 		222
L'Homme Masqué One-Handed Spring Palm packet handling
 		224
Alex Elmsley Flight Plan four Aces, one by one
 		228
Edward Marlo, Alex Elmsley ATFUS Variation
229
L'Homme Masqué, Alex Elmsley Two-Handed Spring Palm packet handling
 		230
Alex Elmsley En Voyage Ace to Three travel to pocket one by one, then all to different pockets
Variations 233
Cliff Green Double Lift Push
235
Alex Elmsley Pseudo Duplicate laying two cards face-up on table in crossed formation
 		236
Edward Marlo Misdirection Palm multiple cards
 		238
Alex Elmsley Processional four Aces oujogged from deck, one by one pushed flush and removed from pocket
Variations 241
Alex Elmsley Daley Double two black Aces change place with one of them in pocket, in repeat phase they turn red and black Aces come from pockets
 		243
Alex Elmsley Between Your Palms card between spectator's palm turns out to be a later signed selection, using stranger card
VariationsAlso published here
  • Abracadabra, Vol. 13 No. 335, June 28, 1952, p. 361
 246
Alex Elmsley Only Child handling of "Between Your Palms" without stranger card
 		250
Alex Elmsley Interrupted Top Change as card is placed right-jogged on deck
 		252
Alex Elmsley Incommunicado four cards are selected and produced from different spots, two spectators unknowingly have the same selection
Variations 254
Alex Elmsley Square-Up Glimpse
256
Chapter Five: Coinages
259
Alex Elmsley Devaluation chinese coin in handkerchief and half dollar in pocket change place, pile of half dollar appears as finale, Ken Allen's Chinatown Half set
 		261
Alex Elmsley Revaluation (A Reminiscense) chinese coin and four pennies, chinese coin from handkerchief to box, then pennies to box, transposition of chinese coin with four pennies
 		264
Alex Elmsley Magnetic Okito Box magnetic lid
 		265
Alex Elmsley Boston Two-Step small coin travels from handkerchief to box with half dollars, then all coins travel to handkerchief and box is empty
VariationsAlso published here 268
Alex Elmsley Box Turnover
269
Jack Chanin TV Surprise Production
271
Gravity Turnover
271
Alex Elmsley The Astral Coin Rides Again coin and two cards, coin appears, travels and penetrates table, coin threaded to card
Variations 273
Alex Elmsley Coin-Card Gaff coin is attached to card with thread
 		273
Alex Elmsley Milling a Coin small coin is smashed to dust between to large coins, recess in large coin
 		280
Alex Elmsley Sucker Silver silver to copper transformation routine with sucker explanation
 		282
Push Steal coin is pushed in fist and stolen back
 		284
Friedrich Wilhelm Frikell Frikell-Style Thumb Palm
284
Alex Elmsley The Spider's Treasury four coins are produced from empty hands, stand-up
 		287
Chapter Six: Faro Tapestries
293
Alex Elmsley Deck Preparation for Faro Shuffles sanding corners
Related to 295
Alex Elmsley Weave Corrections for Miscuts
  • Out-weave Correction
  • Out-weave Correction
  • In-weave Correction
  • In-weave Correction
Related to 297
Alex Elmsley Placing a Key at Twenty-sixth Position finessed methods with faro shuffle
 		300
Alex Elmsley The Mathematics of the Weave Shuffle long article for "mathematicians" with the following subchapters
 		302
Alex Elmsley Out- and In-Weaves definition of terms
 		303
Alex Elmsley The Odd Pack and Weave
304
Alex Elmsley Equivalent Odd Pack
304
Alex Elmsley Returning a Pack to the Same Order mathematical discussion
 		305
Alex Elmsley Solving the Shuffle Equation how to find out number of shuffles required to return pack to same order
 		306
Alex Elmsley Stack Transformations how faro shuffles affect a stack
Related to 307
Alex Elmsley Royal Flush Deal royal flush deal for any number of players, faro shuffling
 		308
Alex Elmsley The Constant Stack
Related to 309
Alex Elmsley The Restacking Pack stack whose value distribution is not affected by faro shuffles
Related toVariations 309
Alex Elmsley Binary Translocations
  • 1) to bring top card to any position with faros
  • 2) to bring card to top with 2^x cards
  • 3) edge-marked deck with 2^x cards, bringing any card to top
Related toVariationsAlso published here 311
Alex Elmsley Double Control transposing top card with selection at certain position with faro shuffles
Also published here 312
Alex Elmsley Penelope's Principle bringing center card to position corresponding with number of cards in cut-off pile
Related toVariations 313
Alex Elmsley Penny Wise card at position corresponding to cut-off pile is predicted, Penelope
 		315
Alex Elmsley Prediction by Proxy spectator removes any card, mate is found by penelope-procedure (pile cut off, counted, card at that position is selection), twenty-six-apart-stack
 		317
Alex Elmsley Tuppence two cards are selected with the "card at position of cut-off number"-procedure, then named
Related to 319
Bottom Card Glimpse
320
Alex Elmsley Meet Me on the Road selection is found at position of cut-off pile, penelope's principle
 		323
Alex Elmsley A Woven and Cut Case penelope-procedure (pile cut off, counted, card at that position is selection), key is placed next to selection via faro
 		325
Alex Elmsley Autopilot separation at twenty-six
 		326
Arthur Finley Remote Control spectator riffle shuffles after control
Related to 327
Alex Elmsley, Bill Reid Direct Link featuring Bill Reid's "Automatic Discovery", named number corresponds to distance between spectator's and performer's selection
Related to 329
Alex Elmsley The Custodial Card two cards selected, a card turns face-up between selections, twenty-six key card, faro
Inspired byRelated to 333
Alex Elmsley The Fan and Weave Controls two handlings of an ingenious control:
  • The Fan and Weave Control
  • The Fan and Weave Double Control
Related toVariations 335
Alex Elmsley Brainweave ungaffed handling of Brainwave
Related toVariationsAlso published here 338
Alex Elmsley Faro Fan
Variations 341
Alex Elmsley The Obedient Faro shuffling a card to any position up to twenty with two shuffles, for magicians
 		346
Alex Elmsley Spell by the Numbers automatic placement
 		349
Stephen Minch Automatic Placement - Credit Information
349
Speller spelling to any card at position twelve
 		351
Alex Elmsley Paraspell two cards, faro-version of Stewart James' "Evolution of a Dream"
 		353
Alex Elmsley Collinspell collins Aces with spelling finale, setting cards with a faro, featuring interesting vanishes
 		357
Alex Elmsley Arab Roto-Pack using faros for various placements
Also published here 365
Alex Elmsley What a Party! adding faro principles
 		369
Alex Elmsley Late Night Location spectator cuts off a pile, remembers bottom card and shuffles, packet returned and deck faro shuffled, selection found, stay stack with duplicates
Also published here 372
Alex Elmsley Auto-Discovery two cards are used to divine a very free selection that's pocketed by spectator, stacked
Also published here 374
Alex Elmsley The Elmsley Rising Card rubber gimmick, faro placement
Related to 376
Alex Elmsley Faro Placement to control selection between two cards
 		379
Alex Elmsley Faro Placement to control selection between two cards
 		381
Chapter Seven: : Stray Stacks
383
Alex Elmsley Computer Dating removed selection is mated under fair conditions, stay stack
 		385
Russell "Rusduck" Duck, Alex Elmsley Stay Stack credit information
 		385
Alex Elmsley Empty and Full removed selection is mated under fair conditions, stay stack
 		387
Alex Elmsley Wedded Ambitions free selection, mate rises to top, stay stack
 		389
Alex Elmsley Topsy-Turvy Stay-Stack (A Problem) topsy-turvy stay stack with two decks
Related to 391
Alex Elmsley Parity Failure some cards from 5x5 cards layout are turned over according to rules, condition is called out and on one card is lied
Also published here 392
Alex Elmsley Tell Me Three Times three cards chosen and called out, on one of them is lied, stack
VariationsAlso published here 396
Alex Elmsley Future Stock two card prediction, stack, one-ahead
 		398
Alex Elmsley Through Darkest Peirce cards are dealt out multiple times to mix them, yet they are mated, relation to Sympathetic Cards
Also published here 401
Alex Elmsley Card Position Formula After Dealing calculating position of any card in a packet of any size, after dealing cards out
Also published here 404
Alex Elmsley Blind Stud cards are cut and dealt out, things about hands are revealed with back turned, gray code to base 4
Also published here 406
Stephen Minch Gray Code some credit information
 		406
Alex Elmsley Mental Boxer six cards are divined after cards are mixed face-up face-down, gray code
 		410
Alex Elmsley Kingfisher four cards are divined, gray code
 		414
Alex Elmsley Pursuit of Thought four cards are divined, gray code
 		419
Chapter Eight: The Dazzle Act
423
Alex Elmsley Fate's Datebook part of "The Dazzle Act" (starting on page 425 until the end of the book), using a improvisational type of selection procedure
Related toVariations 433
Dai Vernon Top and Bottom Glimpse
435
Cross-Cut Force
435
Alex Elmsley, Richard Himber Cold Steel knife is stabbed between two selections
Variations 440
Richard Himber Knife Stab Estimation
440
Stephen Minch Mechanical Estimation some credit information
 		440
Alex Elmsley Fan and Weave Control to any Position extension with two cards
Inspired by 442
Knife Blade Glimpse
Related to
  • Blackstone's Secrets of Magic (Walter Gibson, p. 21)
 447
Alex Elmsley The Tale of the Old Timer cutting to fourJacks, then Queens, then Kings, then dealing out all Jacks to Aces
 		449
Alex Elmsley Pocket Deck Switch with description of psychology
 		450
Herb Zarrow, Dai Vernon Zarrow Shuffle
453
Frank Garcia Affas-Gaffas False Cut
455
Alex Elmsley Dazzle packet with jokers, backs change color multiple times
Related toVariations 463
Alex Elmsley Everchange Count Variation
Inspired by 464
Alex Elmsley Half Pass with small packet
 		465
Alex Elmsley Tour de Force five card location with flourishy production and call-back productions referring to previous routines
 		471
Alex Elmsley Multiple Hindu Shuffle Control
471
One-Handed Center Card Production
473
Alex Elmsley Outjogged Erdnase Transformation
474
Jules D'Hotel Pop-Up Card Flourish
476
Audley Walsh Long Distance Spinner
477
Dai Vernon, Alex Elmsley Vernon Flourish Deal both-handed as production
 		478
Stephen Minch Bibliography of Works by Alex Elmsley
485
Data entered by Denis Behr, July 2008.