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Details

Price$41.99
Media TypeTrick
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedOct 18, 2022

Alexander: The Crystal Seer

Dobson, Wayne

DTrik : The Magic of Wayne Dobson Ltd

(Based on 1 review)
A deck of cards are introduced to the spectator and a business card of Alexander: The Crystal Seer

The performer explains that one of the cards is completely different to the rest and it is up to the spectator to guess, out of 52 cards, where it is.

A couple of clues are given and the spectator thinks of a number. Then using a business card or piece of paper, the information is written down.

The spectator looks on the other side of the business card at a list of numbers, each with a playing cards next to them and notes this down on the business card.

The performer then asks whether the spectator wants to use any of the numbers on the business card or change their mind and chose a completely different number.

The cards are counted to the number chosen, in fact the spectator can finish the count.

The first kicker is that all the cards are blank, except one, the second kicker is that the only printed card is at the chosen number and the final kicker is that the chosen card is on the back!
  • No force, the spectator can freely choose a number. (There are a bank of numbers you want the spectator to chose from, but this is deviously hidden in the patter of the trick)
  • No Rough & Smooth (If you want, the spectator can keep the cards after)
The blank deck idea was inspired by Craig Petty and his Quantum Deck

Reviews

Stephan Sloan

Official Reviewer

Sep 16, 2023

Overview

When reviewing magic for mylovelyassistant.com, we are asked to judge a trick on three criteria. The first is the quality of the actual product. The second is the quality of instruction, and finally the ad copy integrity or in other words how true is the ad copy to what is delivered. If the item meets all criteria well then it is rated as such. If it is lacking in one aspect or another we need to judge it accordingly as best as we can. We shouldn’t or can’t rate it on whether we like the effect or not. That being said, I often wonder how creators decide on how much to charge for an effect. Are they delivering a new or unique method? Are they bringing to market an advanced way how something is done? In either case, if so, then I can see the price of the effect being what it is. What I can’t fathom is when something is priced so significantly higher than it is actually delivering. Alexander Crystal Seer is one of those effects that after seeing what is being delivered, for what I consider an exorbitant price; I feel sorry for the purchasers who probably expected more.

Effect

A spectator is asked to think of a two digit number. The performer then does some crazy mathematical calculation to arrive at another number. A replica business card of Alexander the Seer is produced and the spectator looks up their special number at the number finally derived at. It is duly noted and remembered. A deck of cards is then produced and the performer counts to their chosen number. At that number he arrives at a card that has the word stop on it. All the other cards are shown to be blank. When the Stop card is turned over, the playing card on the back matches the prediction by Alexander.

Method

The method utilizes a mathematical force than is found in many basic mentalism and magic books. The force used, is hundreds if not a couple of thousand years old. Along with that, a properly positioned prediction card and a turnover move is all that is required to perform this trick. Perhaps the ability to tell a tale to obfuscate the fact that you are manipulating the numbers to reach a desired outcome.

Product Quality

What you receive is a double blank deck of cards, a laminated force card, a prediction card and an 18 minute video instructional. The double blank card deck is a Bicycle deck. The force card is a paper laminated Alexander “business card” and the force card is a poor quality uncoated paper stock card. If you are expecting more than you will be disappointed. The video tutorial covers the handling and the mathematics fairly well.

Ad Copy Integrity

Like many ad copies for magic tricks they give you a list of things the way the trick does not work. I suppose they are hoping that you won’t think of the way it can work and fall into their trap. The ad copy does describe the trick accurately but as stated before this is nothing new.

Final Thoughts

For the asking price of $42, you can find much better ACAAN effects out there if you do a little searching. The force used in this effect is not new, the 2 cards provided, that being the force card and prediction cards are mediocre at best. A product such as this I would have expected to sell for half of the asking price.
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