96 entries in ABC Cards / Miscellaneous
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Stanley Collins A.J.A.X. 2 performer and spectator each receive two cards in a mock game, performer wins, the four cards change to all Jacks, then to letter cards which spell AJAX
Inspired by 1925 20
Stanley Collins A.J.A.X. 3 spectator selects four cards, one is a Jack, they are mixed and spectator always finds the Jack, once the audience suspects that all are Jacks they are turned over and spell AJAX
Inspired by 1925 22
Theodore Annemann The Unknown Subject apparently random name in phone book divined, person phoned names cards which are divined, uses ABC cards
Also published here 1935
The Jinx (Issue Summer Extra 1935)
47
Louis Lam Spelling Made Easy "What's In A Name?", with alphabet cards to produce spectator's name
Related to 1935 9
Louis Lam When Were You Born? weirdly selected word is disclosed with alphabet cards
1935 18
Edward Bagshawe Magic Letters tumbler of alphabet letters, ribbon is vanished and reproduced from within tumbler, letters are stuck to ribbon that spell out thought-of word
1936 ca. 53
John Goodrum Spello alphabet cards put in cone with ribbon arrange themselves into name of selected magazine
1937 61
Method No. 8. The Joker Rising Card Trick ABC cards rise that spell out JOKER
1938 386
Method No. 9. The Celebrity Rising Card Trick ABC cards rise that spell out a chosen celebrity
1938 386
H. C. Mole Mixed Mystery letter cards chosen, word selected from newspaper with number addition, letter cards arrange magically in chosen word
Also published here 1940
The Jinx (Issue 112)
665
Tom Sellers The Mystic Imp packet with word cards, spectator shifts cards corresponding to number of letters, word divined
1943 31
Hans "Severus" Ernst Bimbo1 ABC deck is shuffled and nine cards written on grid, grid torn in halves and spectators try to form name of playing card, card matches with card in poker dice
1944
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 6 No. 2)
6
Theodore Annemann The Unknown Subject apparently random name in phone book divined, person phoned names cards which are divined, uses ABC cards
Also published here 1944 39
H. C. Mole Mixed Mystery letter cards chosen, word selected from newspaper with number addition, letter cards arrange magically in chosen word
Also published here 1944 229
James W. Graves My Favorite Routine with Otto the Duck duck spells chosen color with ABC cards
1946
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1946)
7
Fred Fletcher Lexicon-Found alphabet cards, selected cards form a name
May 1949
The Phoenix (Issue 178)
712
Eddie Clever Classified newspaper add test, using ABC cards
1951
Ireland's Yearbooks (Issue Yearbook 1951)
15
Dr. Stanley Jaks Letter Mystery card is divined with a set of letter cards
Also published here 1951 7
Don Alan Christine (?), The Sneaky Deck card duck with alphabet cards, producing a message
1956 22
Dr. Stanley Jaks Das Buchstabenmysterium card is divined with a set of letter cards
Also published here 1961 86
E. Leslie May Thoughts From Thin Air alphabet cards produced from air that spell out chosen word
1969 52
Glenn G. Gravatt Word Matching letters match to form word
1972 176
Larry West Black and Blue weird packet trick with letters
1972 66
Jules Lenier That's the Word! ABC cards selected and word formed, word is found in selected book on chosen page
1972
Magick (Issue 43)
213
Jerry Mentzer Numbers Game several numbers are written next to letters of the alphabet, one letter is selected with ABC cards and performer divines number
1972
Magick (Issue 65)
323
Dr. Jacob Daley Daley's Note No. 245
  • spelling something out with letter cards, cryptic
  • Slap Ace as finale for Ambitious Card
1972 61
Arthur Hill Numbers Up deck of number cards, design duplication on two cards, mirror in lap
Mar. 1975 872
Philip T. Goldstein Alphabet Stebbins Stebbins with ABC cards
Related to 1977
Magick (Issue 189)
942
Philip T. Goldstein Count Stebbins calculating letters and positions for the Alphabet Stebbins
Related to 1977
Magick (Issue 191)
953
Arthur Setterington Whodunit? detective trick, cards reveal murder, motive and weapon
May 1978
Pabular (Vol. 4 No. 9)
568
Larry Becker Improved Haunted House story trick, five letter cards, different words with different letters are spelled
Variations 1978 69
José de la Torre Instant Color Change with Alphabet Cards using design of letters to allow for only partial covering of cards
  • Instant Color Change from "B" to "E"
  • Instant Color Change from "B" to "F"
1978 80
Harry Lorayne Alpa-Beta-Cent Alpha-Beta-Cent, alphabet cards show name of selection when spread out, two methods
Variations Jan. 1979
Apocalypse (Vol. 2 No. 1)
151
Karrell Fox "Ducky" Intro using card duck to introduce next performers with alphabet cards
1979 224
L. De Bevere Mnemodexterity routine with ABC cards or twenty-six design cards
  • missing card named
  • sequence of cards held by three spectators recited
  • position of any card named
  • deck cut at any letter called for
  • spelling to letters
Related to
  • "Pseudo Memory Act" (Tom Rigby, Magigram, Vol. 10 No. 3)
  • "Any card called for" (Louis Histed, The Magic of Louis S. Histed, 1947, p. 35)
1979 1
Steve Beam Red Letter Day gag with ABC card, impression
1980 6
Howard A. Adams Alpha 3 ten words written on cards, three are selected and divined by performing, removing the correct ABC cards to spell the words, anagram words
1980
OICUFESP (Issue 6 - the GHOST of esp card & mental miracles)
4
Ken Brooke Edward Victor's E-Y-E Trick letter cards
Also published here 1980 150
Jochen Zmeck Das Spukhaus story trick, four letter cards, different words with different letters are spelled
Inspired by 1981 10
Thomas Alan Waters Alexicon name of named dead person appears on card, four ABC cards, spelling "DEAD"
Inspired by
  • Alex Elmsley's "What Card?"
1982
Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Grymwyr)
260
Thomas Alan Waters Hallowgram name of dead celebrity appears on one of four ABC cards, one side of the cards spells "DEAD" the other "NAME"
Inspired by
  • Alex Elmsley's "What Card?"
1982
Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Grymwyr)
263
David (Foote) Drake Out of this Alphabet abc card variation, first red black separation then also consonants and vowels
1982 64
Thomas Alan Waters Psychographitti four routines where writings or pictures appear on alphabet cards
  • Cardworm
  • Meow
  • Velleda Baby
  • Blast-Off
Inspired by 1983
Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Psychl)
507
Philip T. Goldstein Alphabetween alphabet card, initials of spectator are found via Business Card Prophecy Move
Apr. 1984
The Collected Almanac (Vol. 2 No. 20)
187
Stephen Tucker Literally Spelling The Aces four cards instead of Aces, the cards are from an ABC deck and the four cards spell A-C-E-S
Oct. 1984
Pabular (Vol. 8 No. 8)
1264
Allan Slaight Last Word Lexicon lexicon deck spelling trick
Also published here Nov. 1985
Epoptica (Issue 7)
432
Thomas Alan Waters Spywave word and alphabet cards, word is selected and fitting letters reverse in alphabet deck
Inspired by 1985
Mind, Myth & Magick (Issue Mystyx)
694
Munden ManipuLetter book test using ABC cards, two numbers are named to form a page number
Aug. 1986
Magick (Issue 375)
1872
Hans Meyer Ha Ha letter appears on silk, ABC cards, with tube and box
1988
Magische Blätter (Vol. 2 No. 9)
4
Ken Brooke Errare Humanum Est! letter cards, E-Y-E
  • Der Büroklammer-Klimax
Also published here Oct. 1990
Intermagic (Vol. 15 No. 4 & 5)
155
Dan Harlan Hot Spell the word "Magic" is produced with ABC cards, randomness in handling
Variations Dec. 1991
The Minotaur (Vol. 3 No. 4)
11
Jerry K. Hartman Holiday Special spectator deals fourteen cards at random from deck, cards have letters on them which form a message, other cards are blank
1991 633
Jerry K. Hartman Alpha Beta Cy Alpha-Beta-Cent, alphabet cards show name of selection when dealt
Inspired by 1991 636
Alexander de Cova 3. Der Buchtest using alphabet cards
1992 88
Michael Close Take a Letter signed alphabet card is found in paper bag by shooting a pin in it
1993 58
Philip T. Goldstein Flex alphabet cards are mixed and distributed, one person only can form a word which is predicted
Inspired byRelated toAlso published here 1994 30
Philip T. Goldstein Cheap Flex four-spectator adaption
Inspired byAlso published here 1994 33
Rudolf Braunmüller Was ist Zauberei? wild card routine with ABC cards that spell out a message
1996
Intermagic (Vol. 20 No. 1)
14
Andreas Affeldt "Mein Name ist...?" spectator shuffles deck, when spread face up it's blank deck with some ABC cards which spell performer's name correctly, interlocking chain principle
Also published here 1996 14
Philip T. Goldstein A Capital Idea words on cards, coincidence effect
Jan. 1997
Apocalypse (Vol. 20 No. 1)
2746
Sam Schwartz Plus Ultra 4x4 layout with alphabet cards, row chosen and letters arrange to build a word, this item matches a selection from a deck with pictures
Inspired by
  • "Ultra Combination" (Pavel)
1997 107
Dave Campbell B.I.N.G.O. five bingo cards shown on both sides, one side transforms in letter cards that spell "BINGO"
Inspired byAlso published here 1998 27
Peter Duffie Handy packet tricks with five alphabet cards, spelling HAND and a hand one one card, Sands Prime Number Principle
1998 11
David Regal Letter Perfect Spectator mixes stack of alphabet cards face up/down, the face down cards spell his/her name
1999 88
Don Alan Worm's Turn worm in basket finds chosen ABC card, snake in a basket
Also published here July 1999
Magic (Vol. 8 No. 11)
48
Andreas Affeldt "My Name Is...?" spectator shuffles deck, when spread face up it's blank deck with some ABC cards which spell performer's name correctly
Also published here 2000 1
David Luenberger Birthday Spell letter cards used to spell names, name of birthday girl shows up, Ramasee principle
Inspired by 2000 42
Chan Canasta Alphabet Cards forcing ABC cards
2000 90
Chan Canasta What's in the Box? ABC cards are selected and a word is formed, object found in a box
2000 104
Don Alan Worm's Turn worm in basket finds chosen ABC card, snake in a basket
Also published here 2000 125
Philip T. Goldstein Word Row forcing a word with alphabet cards
2002 23
Sam Schwartz The Magician ten red-blue double backers are openly shown, then one side changes to letter cards spelling MAGICIAN
2002 252
Steve Beam Alpha Male humorous divination of selected letter, with ABC cards
Inspired by 2002 205
Peter Duffie, Robin Robertson Chao Theory red-black separation with letter cards, using TAPGAC
Also published here May 2002
Ego (Vol. 1 No. 11)
5
Chris Hurlbert Royal Flush & Joker Revelation performer cuts to Royal Flush cards and tables them face down one by one, they change to alphabet cards spelling the selection "Joker"
Nov. 2002
Magic (Vol. 12 No. 3)
105
Peter Duffie, Robin Robertson Magic Cards all backs, letter cards that spell MAGIC produced, deck changes into an ABC deck
2003 69
Tom Stone Synonymax cards with pictures and words, selections are divined
Inspired byAlso published here 2003 12
Al "The Only" Ulman Happy Birthday Card Trick singing Happy Birthday, card appears at last beat, cards spell "Happy Birthday"
Inspired by Aug. 2003
Magic (Vol. 12 No. 12)
81
Dave Campbell Bingo five bingo cards shown on both sides, one side transforms in letter cards that spell "BINGO"
Also published here 2004 191
Peter Duffie, Robin Robertson Chao Theory red-black separation with letter cards, using TAPGAC
Also published here 2004 122
Robert E. Neale I Bless Bile Cards with numbers on them used to spell various words when turned upside down, then flipped over to reveal a skull picture
Inspired by 2008 87
Allan Slaight Last Word Lexicon lexicon deck spelling trick
Also published here 2008 93
Trevor Lewis A Good Deal four cards with letters, words are formed matching story
2009 23
Nick Trost 4-Gone Conclusion four Kings and four prediction cards with letters, King chosen, it is written on each prediction card, then King travels to prediction packet which now spells GONE
2009 527
Peter Duffie On the Level? cards with letters spell 'level' then transform into 'slope'
2009 13
Steve Beam Reordered alphabet card spell word despite mixing
2010 267
Peter Duffie Spirit Level alphabet cards spell LEVEL, then they spell SLOPE
2010 2
Tom Stone Synonymax cards with pictures and words, selections are divined
Inspired byAlso published here 2011 229
Max Maven ESPecious
  • Lost Horizons
three letter cards chosen in 3x3 grid layout, they spell ESP
Inspired by
  • "ESPecially Mental" (Norman Vincent Pangloss aka Lin Searles, marketed 1959)
Also published here
  • New Pentagram, Jan. 1984
Apr. 2014
Genii (Vol. 77 No. 4)
17
Max Maven Flex alphabet cards are mixed and distributed, one person only can form a word which is predicted
Also published here Aug. 2014
Genii (Vol. 77 No. 8)
16
Max Maven Cheap Flex four-spectator adaption of Flex
Also published here Aug. 2014
Genii (Vol. 77 No. 8)
17
Stewart James Alpha Betting Ten Card Poker Deal principle with alphabet cards, performer can always spell a word before spectator
Also published here
  • "Alpha Betting" (Stewart James in Print, 1989)
2015 271
Roberto Giobbi Obedient Alphabet suggestions for ABC deck
2016
Hidden Agenda (Issue July 31)
219
Chris Rawlins Variant Five after some shuffling of alphabet cards, the spectator's name is revealed
Inspired by 2020 29
Val Le-Val New Wave Oil and Water using cards with letters O and W on them, separation occurs one card at a time, slow-motion
2022 152
Shimpei Katsuragawa Happy Birthday Monte variation in which a layout of letter cards ends up spelling "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
2022 62