Magic Tricks

When I opened the package, I was initially disappointed because the it seemed too little for the price--2 normal dice, a normal dictionary, a normal spiral bound notebook, a tiny piece of paper, and a very ordinary secret. However, the routine intrigued me and I decided to give it a try. At my local magic get-together it sailed right by the guys and, admitting that they had been fooled, asked that I repeat the trick. I did and it fooled them again. Since the roll of honest dice caused a different page and a different word to be selected each time from an honest dictionary and since the outcome seemed so impossible to predict, no one thought the secret could be so simple. Proper presentation and just two seconds of good misdirection make this a great trick. You are paying for Paul Richard's thinking and creativity that went into this effect rather than for props but the principle is very sound. The method of calculating the page number with dice makes the range of numbers seem huge. In fact, once you know the principle, you can use it with any normal book, with advance preparation. The effect is limited only by your creativity. For example, I have changed it to use three unprepared books. The spectator selects one by rolling the dice, and rolls again to select the page number. True, the routining, preparation, and misdirection needed all increase but the effect is enhanced.