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Inexplicable

Shufton, Steve

Steve Shufton

(Based on 1 review)
There is a SINGLE card in an UN-GIMMICKED envelope.
She will deal cards FACE-UP from a NORMAL deck.
She will stop WHENEVER she wants.
Your prediction MATCHES!



This will leave them stunned!

No Sleights. Single Envelope. Single Prediction Card. No Switches. Ordinary deck. Instant reset.

This fresh look at the "open prediction" will leave the wise ones scratching their heads! Yet, the ingenious method is sheer simplicity!
Everything you need to perform this miracle is included. Use your own ordinary deck!

The effect in detail: A spectator is shown a small envelope, just large enough to accommodate a playing card. In fact, it contains a single playing card. This prediction is left in full view on the table (or in her hand). This is the final prediction. It will never be switched!

The spectator is handed a normal deck of playing cards to carefully examine. In fact, you can use ANY deck - nothing is added or taken away. She can see the deck is normal, well mixed, and there is truly nothing out of the ordinary - nothing to hide!

It is explained that you will not touch the cards again - as a matter of fact, if you would like, she can keep the deck - you will literally never touch the cards!

She is told to deal cards into a pile one by one, from the top of the deck, face-up onto the table (or another spectator's hand if you would like). She is told to stop whenever she wants. It couldn't possibly be more fair!

Eventually, she stops dealing on a particular card. It was a truly free choice!

With empty hands, and with no sleights of any kind, the envelope is opened. There is a single card within - the same card that has been there from the start. The envelope is shown to be otherwise empty - as it truly is. THE PREDICTION MATCHES HER CARD!

When you perform this effect, it feels like REAL magic!

It is so much fun, so easy to perform, and truly devastating!

I know you have got to be wondering - the effect lives up to its name! But in case you need to hear it again: Any deck is used. No duplicates. Envelope has only one card. The single card in the envelope is the one that will be revealed at the end. Envelope is not gaffed. No sleights of any kind. You NEVER touch the cards - the spectator has full control of the deck at all times.

Does this all sound too good to be true? Listen to what the experts have to say:

"Steve Shufton's 'Inexplicable' will deeply bother people. Its combination of principles results in a method that is straightforward, streamlined, and, above all - practical."
-David Regal


"INEXPLICABLE is one of the few magic effects that really matches the description in the advertisements. I like it a lot and I think you will like it too. I can do it and you can do it. I use it and you will use it. It's really amazing magic. And that's no hype."
-Steve Dusheck

"Steve Shufton is known for his lateral thinking and clever application of a variety of principles from magic and mentalism. Inexplicable is just that! An incredible open prediction that is fair, straightforward, and seriously baffling! This is a real worker that will go straight into the repertoire of the serious professional."
-Dr. Todd Landman, PhD, AIMC, FRSA

"A prediction is placed on the table - the spectator stops on any card - the prediction proves to be 100% correct. Steve Shufton provides one of the most elegant sleight-free solutions to this plot in recent times. The deck is regular and the prediction method is ingenious, resulting in an effect that is, indeed, 'Inexplicable'."
-Peter Duffie

"Inexplicable is exactly that....In fact I would have called it TOTALLY Inexplicable. Steve has come up with a radical new approach to this effect and as a result has created one of the best methods I have ever seen to achieve it."
-Marc Paul

"Inexplicable is an ingenious method. The hands off approach and open prediction seems impossible. I'm going to have to get a couple just to have backups. If you keep the prediction in your wallet, you can borrow a deck and pull out your prediction made before you arrived at a party for an impossible impromptu effect."
-Kenton Knepper

"Beyond the Inexplicable effect and Inexplicable's method, which is very well explained, there is a third Inexplicable component. The price! How can Shufton possibly sell this jaw dropper for only $20? Perhaps it is because magicians so often pay more for convoluted gimmicks that will most likely end up in that dreaded box destined for the magic flea market than for a very well thought out, cunning release. Don't let the very reasonable price fool you. Properly done, exactly as Steve teaches it, you will have a very powerful card effect that really will come across as ... Inexplicable!"
-Richard Busch

Reviews

Stuart Philip

Official Reviewer

Jan 03, 2020

Steve Shufton’s Inexplicable is one of the few tricks I carry with me, in my wallet, always. Shufton claims it is “Devious. Simple. Stunning.” He is spot on.

With Inexplicable, the performer places a card-sized black envelope on the table that is held closed by a rubber band. It is in view the entire time. The spectator takes a deck of cards and deals one card down onto a table, one at a time, and stops whenever she want. After the spectator stops dealing the card is then turned over. Then, the performer picks up the envelope, takes off the top and reveals that the card inside is the card that the spectator arrived at.
When I first got this, many years ago, I opened the package which comes with the envelope, the reveal card and a small paper pamphlet of instructions. As soon as I saw what was provided, I knew exactly how I wanted to use this devious, simple and stunning trick. I never even read the instructions, I just took it on the road. Turns out, I was using Inexplicable in a way completely different than the suggested routine. It didn’t matter, it still slayed the spectators. In my version, I would let the spectator deal cards face down, make several piles, let them pick a few cards and then choose one from the selected few. Both versions use a normal deck. Recently however, I read the instructions and the routine taught in the booklet is phenomenal, although it requires a bit of set up. You can easily learn and do this trick and will absolutely kill your spectators. That is a guarantee.

The provided black envelope is not one you will see in real life, but that is ok. Its function is to hold a single card. It is very cleverly designed and is not gimmicked in any way. This is a trick that you can repeat to the same audience if you alter the method for the second performance. You cannot hand out the reveal card, but no one really will ever ask to see it. There is truly only one card in the envelope too.

There are multiple outs and if you have a wise guy spectator they could sabotage the routine, so stay away from jerks; a good general rule of thumb when performing magic. You can do this trick surrounded and the reset is instantaneous. The ad copy is accurate.

This trick is a bargain at $20 and I highly recommend this for anyone from beginners to working pros. It is so easy to perform and the reactions are unmatched.
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