Effects that are simply too hard to explain

45 entries in Cards / Effect Themes / Gags & Curiousities / Effects that are simply too hard to explain
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
U. F. Grant The Funny Deck card travels back from pocket, leaving behind a blank card, double facer
 		1937
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
130
Newton Hall Hypnosthesia three spectators see a card even though that one is apparently removed, spelled "Newon Hall"
Also published here 1938
The Jinx (Issue Summer Extra 1938)
325
Eddie Clever Encore Voodoo card is put in envelope with ribbon band and hidden by spectator, lights out, performer suddenly has card and mutilates it, when spectator retrieves card it has same appearance, dressed up Chinese Laundry Ticket
Related toAlso published here Dec. 1938
The Jinx (Issue 51)
358
Eddie Clever Encore Voodoo card is put in envelope with ribbon band and hidden by spectator, light out, performer suddenly has card and mutilates it, with matching corner
Also published here 1944
Practical Mental Effects
129
Newton Hall Hypnosthesia three spectators see a card even though that one is apparently removed
Also published here 1944
Practical Mental Effects
297
William H. McCaffrey, Dai Vernon Vernon - McCaffery Name Effect unclear effect description
 		1961
The Magic of Charles Earle Miller
72
Charly Eperny Eperny's Kartenstern six cards are placed inside an envelope, envelope is burnt and miniature duplicates appear on a card star, those cards are fused together and then placed inside a money printing machine and cards come out in a long ribbon
 		1961
Hokus Pokus (Vol. 22 No. 4)
82
Roy Walton Stepping Stones solution for a problem posed by Fulves, several variations
Inspired byRelated toVariationsAlso published here 1969
The Devil's Playthings
21
Karl Fulves Eerie Row four cards, duplicate of one of them is touched to packet and leaves "image" behind, repeated
Related toVariations 1973
Packet Switches (Part Two)
111
Paul Harris Heart Burn corner of card stroken on match-book, ignites and burns
Also published here 1981
Close-up Fantasies Finalé
99
Roy Walton Stepping Stones
  • Additional Climax
  • Alternative Method
Also published here 1981
The Complete Walton — Volume 1
11
David Britland Seconds Out...
Inspired by Oct. 1983
Spell-Binder (Vol. 3 No. 30)
585
Stephen Tucker Revealed Two Jokers and Ace of Spades: Ace of Spades alternates between pointing at spectator and magician, then Joker also keeps changing orientation, then all three cards change to Ace of Spades
 		1984
The Card-Mad-gic of Stephen Tucker
37
Paul Harris Wonder Woman cards laid out on table in figure configuration, fortune telling presentation
 		1984
Close-up Seductions
147
Martin Lewis The Stampede Second Random card is chosen and placed aside as prediction. A stamp is placed on the top of another deck. As cards are dealt, stamp stays in place (second deal), until stamp suddenly sticks to one card. Both cards match.
Related to 1985
Martin's Miracles
45
Karl Fulves The Boys from the Girls No. 76, boy and girl names on paper, folded and cut, all boys are separated from girls, also as card revelation
Also published here 1985
Self-Working Paper Magic
135
Dai Vernon Tour Through the Outback one of ten is named, process of elimination produces same card
 		1988
The Vernon Chronicles — Volume 2
182
Kuniyasu Fujiwara The Joker Takes A Ride King on Joker vanishes bit by bit leaving a hole and is found next to selection
Related to 1992
Five Times Five — Japan
72
Karl Fulves "Contrary Clock" Notes No. 89, clock drawing with only four times and cards written next to it, two spectators remember apparently the same card but really a different one
Inspired by 1992
Charles Jordan's Best Card Tricks
112
Muneo Yokoi Split Prediction signed on the back by magician, sealed in envelope. Freely selected card signed and placed in another envelope, signed on the back by spectator. Envelope opened to show the faces match, but that they are also halves of the same card.
 		1993
Volum 5 Lecture Note
26
David Regal Check Your Card, Sir? claim check reappears stuck on spectator's card
 		Apr. 1995
Apocalypse (Vol. 18 No. 4)
2490
Paul Harris Heartburn corner of card stroken on match-book, ignites and burns
Also published here 1996
The Art of Astonishment — Book 3 (Issue Close-up Fantasies Finale)
65
Harry Eng, Paul Harris The Cube cube is constructed out of six (folded) cards, one separate card vanishes and reappears as part of the cube
 		1996
The Art of Astonishment — Book 3 (Issue Misc. Pieces of Paul)
281
Dupre Didier Vicious Circle torn paper circle vanishes when ignited and appears on selected card, then its ignited again and selection has a hole in it, paper is found restored with the missing center pip on it
 		Sep. 1996
The Minotaur (Vol. 8 No. 3)
12
Karl Fulves Mirrors Never Lie card vanishes from packet but remains visible in mirror, card with mirror surface
Related to 1997
The Vampire Chronicles
63
Docc Hilford Mephisto's Journey Spectator writes name of a card on billet, seals it with empty billet and deck of playing cards in envelope, envelope is hidden in other room, then light goes out and green light can be seen, performer holds envelope, reads slip and removes card. Everything vanishes again is back at the secret location, card is missing and message on empty billet. With borrowed objects.
Related to 1998
Mephisto's Journey
3
Karl Fulves Matrix With Words "Problems"
matrix force with words, composing something like a card or a condition "red kings are reversed", posed as a problem
 		2000
Latter Day Secrets (Issue 4)
107
Don England Contrast! two Cards change, change size, back color..
 		2001
Don England's Paradox
63
David Regal The Card that could not be found seriously silly routine...
 		2002
Constant Fooling 2
54
Ron Frost Bunk Beds Two decks, magician cuts to the same five cards in each deck
Inspired by 2004
After The Force
49
Ron Frost Dirty, Down and Double Some weird matching routine with three pairs, back changes color, finds selection
 		2004
After The Force
116
Ron Frost Straight-Faced Coincidence Some convoluted trick involving using a Straight Flush to find a selection
 		2004
After The Force
119
Arthur Trace 180 a packet of cards turn over magically, then turn back over to prove that the magician is flipping the room upside down. The center card of the packet then changes, and the magician's spectacles are found upside down too
Also published here 2006
It's All Relative
8
Arthur Trace 180 a packet of cards turn over magically, then turn back over to prove that the magician is flipping the room upside down. The center card of the packet then changes, and the magician's spectacles are found upside down too
Also published here Apr. 2006
Genii (Vol. 69 No. 4)
66
Dominic Twose Unreliable Witness two people remember the card at a given number, but they remember different cards, one is produced from pocket
 		2007
Best of Friends — Volume III
36
Dan Buck, Dave Buck Cartel Pay for items at a cashier by swiping playing cards through the credit card terminal
 		2008
Organic
17
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
This Is Not a Book
87
Karl Fulves An Unsolved Problem Jacob's Ladder toy made from card cases, some cards in each except top one, Royal Flush named, top case tumbles down and contains named Royal Flush
 		2008
Xtra Credit (Issue 1)
2
Steve Beam, Martin Gardner The Ace-Two-Three Trick three sets of Ace to Three are used for mathematical puzzle thing
Inspired by 2010
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 8
74
Hiroshi Sawa レモン・トリック (The Lemon Trick) Card is chosen from the deck, has a picture of lemon on it. Suddenly. three lemons begin mysteriously appearing on the table one by one
 		2013
Magic of Dr. Sawa (澤浩の奇術)
65
Steve Beam Bambi Revisited The padlock in the back design of a selected card unlocks after a key mysteriously rotates (and a zipper mysteriously slides open).
Inspired byRelated to 2015
Semi-Automatic Card Tricks — Volume 10
36
Harapan Ong, Ryan Plunkett Stock Lines Stock Lines: Ad lib game for magicians, made into structured routine that dictates the card trick
Also published here 2016
Some Assembly Required
27
Andy (The Jerx) Will You Let Me Into Your Dream? Your bizarre dream comes true with a spectator, the whole routine lasts over FIVE DAYS
 		2016
The Jerx
191
Harapan Ong Stock Lines Stock Lines: Ad lib game for magicians, made into structured routine that dictates the card trick
Also published here 2017
Wabi-Sabi
41
Carlos Vaquera Damask while trying to find selection Ace of Spades appears several times and is always placed on the table, cards turn out to be the four Aces and they change into Queens, Triumph and transformation back to Aces as kicker
 		2019
The Illusioneer
93