CHAPTER V

TRICK GAMES FOR SOCIABLES

Hindoo Blind Reading

Slips of paper are given to all of the guests and they are instructed to write thereupon a brief sentence of three or four words and to carefully fold the paper. These messages are then collected, and the Hindoo Mystic proceeds to amaze his auditors by rubbing the messages, still folded, one after another across his forehead and telling what is written on the folded paper.

The Trick--The message reader has an accomplice who is instructed to acknowledge that he wrote the first note read by the mystic, no matter what that note may be. The mystic makes up in his mind a brief sentence after rubbing the first slip of paper on his head. This sentence is acknowledged by the accomplice. The mystic, after having the note acknowledged, opens it apparently to corroborate his reading, but in reality he is reading the note written by someone else. Upon rubbing the next slip of paper across his forehead, he announces the contents of the note last read, which naturally is acknowledged with wonderment on the part of the individual who wrote it. He then apparently looks at this slip of paper, but in reality he looks at the paper which he next intends to read.

Mental Telepathy

The group is told that if enough people think hard enough about one object they can communicate the thought to a person who knows nothing about it. One or two "unwise" persons are asked to leave the room and nothing is decided upon. But the group is told that when each "unwise" person comes in in turn, the second thing that is named must be admitted to be the right object. Great disappointment should be shown at his failure to get the right object the first time and he should be heartily congratulated on his success the second time. This continues until he realizes that he is duped.

The Paper Artist

A sheet of newspaper or any other kind of paper can be used for this game. The accomplice is sent from the room. The one performing the trick then holds the paper in front of the face of one of the individuals in the room. Returning to his seat, the accomplice is called into the room and handed the sheet of paper. The accomplice then studies the paper carefully and announces to the group whose photograph he sees thereupon.

The Trick--The one who takes the impression of the individual assumes the same sitting position that the individual photographed has assumed, thus portraying to the one who left the room whose photograph is on the blank paper.

Magic Answers

An accomplice is sent from the room. Those remaining in the room determine upon some object, this object to be recognized by the accomplice. When the object has been selected, the accomplice is called back. The one who is to deal with the accomplice asks if several objects in the room are the thing which has been suggested. The accomplice answers, "No," but answers correctly when the object selected is mentioned.

The Trick--The one asking the questions of the accomplice names some black object immediately preceding the object which is the correct one, thus giving the clue.

Clairvoyant

The one who plays this trick must have an accomplice. The accomplice is sent from the room. It is announced that the accomplice will name the person pointed to. The demonstrator points at an individual and the accomplice on the outside of the room gives the name of the individual pointed at.

The Trick--The accomplice knows that the one last speaking before he left the room will be the one pointed at by the demonstrator. In pointing at an individual, the one doing the pointing asks of the accomplice, "Does the spirit move?" The one on the outside answers, if he knows who is being pointed at, "It does." The first speaker then says, "Whom am I pointing at?" The accomplice then gives the individual's name.

Scissors Crossed

A simple catch game. The group is seated in a circle. It is best to have two of the company know how to play the game. One of these hands a closed pair of scissors to the other, who takes it and says, "I received these scissors uncrossed and give them crossed" (opening the scissors as he says, "and give them crossed"). He passes them to the player on his left, who should say, "I received these scissors crossed and give them crossed"--(if they are left open; if closed, "uncrossed"). If the players do not know the game, they will cross and uncross the scissors in an attempt to pass them correctly. Each one is given a turn and the game continues until some bright player notices that the scissors are called "crossed" when they are open and "uncrossed" when they are closed, and that the player who started the game crossed his feet if the scissors were crossed and, if not, his feet were uncrossed. Thus, the object of the game is to change the words and the position of the feet in accordance with the position of the scissors.

Knights of the Sacred Whistle

One or two of the group are informed that they are to be initiated into the Order of the Knights of the Sacred Whistle. They are shown a whistle and told that to become a member they must find this whistle. It is then pretended that the whistle is handed to one of the members of the party. An apron is hung around the shoulders of the victim and the whistle is attached to the back of the apron on a piece of string. The trick is for some of the players to blow the whistle behind the person's back, immediately dropping it and when he turns the person on the other side will blow. As all are standing in a circle, with the person who is being initiated in the centre, he is kept guessing for some time before he finds out where the whistle is located.

Hay Stack

Chairs are piled to a considerable height in the centre of the room and the person to be initiated is instructed to take off his shoes and jump over them. The leader insists that this is possible, but the uninitiated remonstrates, "It can't be done." The catch is that the individual is supposed to jump over his shoes instead of the chairs.

Boots Without Shoes

The leader asks one of the players to say as he directs and then asks him to say, "Boots without shoes." The player immediately says, "Boots without shoes." The leader says, "That is not correct," and goes to the next. The next one also says, "Boots without shoes," and so do most of the other members of the group, until one bright individual, discovering the trick, simply says, "Boots," which is the correct answer.

Newspaper Touch

Two individuals are instructed to stand upon a sheet of newspaper, so as not to be able to touch each other. This seems impossible and the individuals taking their places upon the paper endeavor to maneuver in impossible positions, but find they still can touch each other. The trick is to spread the newspaper over the sill of a door. One individual stands on one side of the closed door upon the newspaper, while the other takes his position on the other side of the door.

Coin and Card Snap

A card is balanced upon the end of the middle finger of the left hand, flat side down. A quarter or some small coin is placed upon the card, directly over the end of the finger. The trick is to snap the card from under the coin so that the coin will remain on the end of the finger.

Blind Blow

A lighted candle is placed upon a table. The players are blindfolded in turn, spun around, and instructed to blow out the candle. The time of each player is recorded and the one succeeding in blowing out the candle in the quickest time wins the game.

Tricks with Matches

Six matches are given to an individual and he is requested to make with them four equilateral triangles.

The Trick--Three matches are laid upon the table, forming an equilateral triangle. The other three are held above the three on the table in the form of a pyramid, with the triangle on the table as a base.

[Illustration]

Twelve matches are placed upon the table as herewith illustrated. Then those trying to accomplish the trick are instructed to illustrate what matches are made of by moving two matches.

The Trick--It is natural that the ones trying to solve the trick endeavor to make the word "wood" out of the combination of forms, but by taking the top match off the first square, a "v" can be made by adding it to the third figure. By taking the right hand side off the first square, the letter "e" can be made by adding it to the last figure, spelling the word "love."

Pigs in Pen

A farmer has six pigs and five pens. He desires to place the pigs in the pens so that there will be an odd number of pigs in each pen. How can he accomplish this?

The Trick--He places a pen within a pen. Then he places a pig in each of the other pens, and two pigs in the one which encloses the pen, and another pig in the enclosed pen.

Number Trick

How can four be made out of three 3's?

3-3/3

Penny Wise

The players are provided with a bright new penny, a piece of paper and a pencil. On the paper have been written the following requirements, each player being expected to write the answers, the one having the largest number of correct answers, winning the game:

Find on the penny the name of a song. (Ans. America.)

A privilege. (Ans. Liberty.)

A part of Indian corn. (Ans. Ear.)

A part of a hill. (Ans. Brow.)

Something denoting self. (Ans. I (Eye).)

Part of a door. (Ans. Lock (of hair).)

A weapon of war. (Ans. Arrow.)

An act of protection. (Ans. Shield.)

A gallant. (Ans. Beau (Bow).)

A punishment. (Ans. Stripes.)

Part of a plant. (Ans. Leaf.)

A piece of jewelry. (Ans. Ring.)

A nut. (Ans. Acorn.)

A musical term. (Ans. Bar.)

An occupation. (Ans. Milling.)

A foreign fruit. (Ans. Date.)

Trimming for a hat. (Ans. Feather.)

What ships sail on. (Ans. Sea.)

A perfume. (Ans. Scent (cent).)

A religious edifice. (Ans. Temple.)

A messenger. (Ans. One sent (One cent).)

A method of voting. (Ans. Ayes and noes (Eyes and nose).)

A Chinese beverage. (Ans. Tea (T).)

A gaudy flower. (Ans. Tulips (Two lips).)

Comfort. (Ans. Ease (e e).)

A small animal. (Ans. Hare (Hair).)

A term of marriage. (Ans. United State.)

An ancient honor. (Ans. Wreath.)

One of the first families. (Ans. Indian.)

Reading Temples

The group is told that thoughts can be transmitted through the temples. The demonstrator of the game has to have an accomplice knowing the trick, who leaves the room. The others decide upon a number, not greater than ten. The accomplice is called back into the room, and by placing his hands upon the temples of the demonstrator after having requested every one to concentrate their thoughts upon the number selected, he tells what the number is.

The Trick--He is told the number by the demonstrator, who clinches and relaxes his jaw, which gives a movement of the temple which can be felt by the accomplice.

Aeroplane Ride

The player selected to take the ride is sent from the room and blindfolded. A strong board is held a few inches from the floor by several of the players. The blindfolded player is then called back into the room and invited to step into the aeroplane and is aided in stepping upon the board. His hands are placed upon the shoulders of two other players for support. As soon as the individual has stepped upon the board, it is raised a few inches and the two individuals upon whose shoulders rest his hands slowly and together bend their knees, so as to lower their shoulders, giving the impression to the rider that he has been lifted some distance from the floor.

The rider is then told to jump down, but not to fear, as mattresses have been placed upon the floor, so that he is in no danger of injury. The fear of jumping from so great a height as the blindfolded aviator has been caused to feel he has attained, and the surprise of striking the floor in so short a distance after the jump, are very amusing.

Egg Smash

Several players of the group are blindfolded and take a kneeling position upon the floor. Each is given a fake egg and is told to knock it upon the floor to summon the good spirit. They do this very carefully the first time, thinking they have an egg. The eggs are taken away and the group waits to see if a spirit appears. As it does not appear, the eggs are again handed to the players. This time they are not so careful in hitting the eggs down upon the floor, their first experience telling them they are fake. Again the eggs are taken from them and the spirit waited for. Failing to appear the second time, the eggs are returned to the blindfolded individuals for the third time, but this time instead of fake, they are the real article, much to the surprise and grief of those who break them vigorously upon the floor.

Musical Notes

This trick is easily played where a group is sitting around a bare wooden table. The player knowing the trick, pricks the prongs of a fork with his finger nails, causing it to vibrate as a tuning fork. He then makes his audience think that he pulls music from the nose of another player by reaching with his free hand and touching the nose of said player, and to the surprise of his auditors, music is heard.

The Trick--The instant the one who plays the trick touches the nose, he unobserved allows the end of the fork to come in contact with the hard surface of the table. The vibration of the fork is inaudible until its end comes in contact with the table.

Siam Club

Players are invited to join the Siam Club, for which certain rites and ceremonies are necessary. Those to be initiated into the club then kneel in a circle in the centre of the room and after bowing forward so that their foreheads touch the floor, they repeat after the leader the following sacred secret words, which they are instructed not to disclose to anyone else, under any conditions: "O whattagoo Siam." They repeat this over and over again until they begin to realize that they are saying, "Oh, what a goose I am."

Divesting

The trick is to remove the vest of one of the players while he is still wearing his coat. To accomplish the trick one must stand in front of the subject, unbutton the vest, loosening the buckles on the strap behind. Next he runs his left hand under the coat, raises the lower end of the back of the vest, while with his right hand he grasps the end of the vest around the neck of the person, who is instructed to hold his arms high above his head. The back of the vest may then be pulled over the head of the subject. One of the lower ends of the vest is then pushed down the coat sleeve. The operator then runs his hand up the coat sleeve and pulls the vest down the sleeve until the arm hole is free from the subject's hand. The vest is then drawn back up the sleeve and pulled through the sleeve and over the hand of the other arm. It can then easily be removed either by pulling down or up the sleeve.

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