I have discovered a couple of new ways to construct 4-by-4 magic squares. These are not just variations of the standard 'adjustment' technique or any other previously known method, but entirely new ways. (I am fully aware of how unlikely that seems, but I did my homework.) They require no memorization, no cribs, and no mental calculation harder than adding two numbers. In addition, you have unprecedented control over the outcome, which presents an opportunity for some really baffling tricks. For example, you can create a reversible square--one that still works when rotated upside down--for any magic sum between 150 and 250. Or you can build one for any even magic sum over 70 that consists of only odd numbers. Many new tricks become practical with these tools.

I will admit to mixed feelings about exposing these secrets. On the one hand, I would like to share them with serious magicians who could use the methods in their own performances. On the other hand, I know that eventually some idiot will post a video on the Internet that exposes everything, at which point the magic of magic squares will be spoiled. Once the world becomes aware that they are actually quite simple to construct, no one will be impressed. Of course, the same is true for every new idea in magic, and if no one ever shared, the art would die.

Someone said that the best way to hide a secret of magic is to put it in a book, because only the most committed will bother to read it. So I wrote a book. It is a 240 page quality clothbound and dust-jacketed book of the old-fashioned variety (i.e., not cheap). It will be available from only a few magic dealers that I know and trust. I am putting the final touches on the copy before going to press in a few days, and it should be available later this month.

You may pm me if you would like to see a more detailed description, including the table of contents. I will post more information here if there are common questions.

Sounds too good to be true!!!! May I inquire .. If the method is so simple .. Why 240 pages?

I agree it sounds too good to be true, but there it is. For a long time after I discovered the two methods (one is very simple and the other is a more direct version of the first), I could not believe that they had not been discovered before. I spent more than a year researching the history before I concluded they were something new. I also ran them by a few recognized experts, all of whom reacted enthusiastically.

I explain the basics of both methods in the first 14 pages. Everything after that is an exploration of what can be done with them.

I'll send you the table of contents privately, and I invite your questions either on this forum or directly. The book is finished and in the process of being printed. It will be available later this month.

Thank you so much Jimso ... I just now read through the table of Contents and it looks excellent .. I'm starting to research magic squares. My son's 2nd grade teacher sent one home for the kids to figure out. My son did but I'm not sure any of the other children got it correct. Something NEW in the mathematical magic area is rare .. Thanks!!!!

The book is now available for sale at www.magicbookshop on a pre-order basis. It will ship by July 5. I will continue to answer questions either here or by pm.

The provided link is not working. Can you PM me the Table of Contents?

Sorry. The link is www.magicbookshop.com.

Mindpro, I tried to pm the table of contents, but you have no space left to receive it. If you either clear some space or figure out some way to communicate directly, I will be happy to send it along.

I have had a number of requests, so here is the table of contents out in the open.

Preface i
How to Use This Book iii
Section I. Basic Methods 1
1. A Demonstration of the Step Method 1
2. The Step Method 7
3. The Slot Method 8
4. Standard Terminology and Results 14
5. Which Patterns Will Predictably Succeed? 19
6. How to Construct a Classic Magic Square 25
7. How to Achieve a Chosen Magic Sum 26
8. What’s Next? 28
Section II. Advanced Methods 29
9. How to Avoid Duplicates 29
10. Broken Diagonals and Edge Squares 33
11. Additional Patterns That Sometimes Succeed 37
12. Most-Perfect Magic Squares 38
13. How to Make the Construction Task Easier 41
14. How to Force an Even Number 45
15. How to Avoid Consecutive Numbers 46
16. How to Control Parity 48
17. How to Vary the Outcome 50
18. How to Deal with Large Numbers 51
19. How to Create Reversible Magic Squares 53
20. How to Dissect an Existing Magic Square 64
21. Why the Methods Work 68
22. Unit Squares 72
23. The Basic Formula for M-Squares 75
24. The Complete General Formula for Any M-Square 78
Section III. Presentation 83
25. Principles of Design and Performance 83
26. The Beginning – Setting the Premise 86
27. The Middle – Constructing the Square 88
28. The Ending – Revealing the Result 92
29. One More thing . . . 95
30. Props 96
31. How to Conceal the Methods 99
32. How to Handle Mistakes 101
33. Be Prepared 102
Section IV. Basic Tricks 105
34. A Simple Puzzle 106
35. Classic Magic Square, Chosen Cell for First Number 108
36. Classic Magic Square, Any Number in Any Cell 111
37. The Trick with Coins (Basic) 114
38. Any Chosen Sum, Standard Version 116
39. Any Chosen Sum (34-80, improved) 118
40. Any Date in Top Row (The Birthday Square) 120
41. A Calendar Trick 123
42. A Compatibility Test 128
Section V. Advanced Tricks 137
43. Any Chosen Sum (80+, improved and enhanced) 137
44. Any Chosen Sum (80+, enhanced, plus kicker) 140
45. Simultaneous Squares, Blindfolded 144
46. Any Four Chosen Numbers in a Column 147
47. Any Four Numbers in Any Row, Column, or Diagonal 153
48. Any Three Numbers in Any Three Cells 157
49. The Trick with Coins (Advanced) 161
50. Seven Chosen Numbers in Chosen Cells 167
51. Numbers Are Our Friends 175
52. The Silent Savant – A Two Person Presentation 180
53. Benjamin Franklin’s Secret Mission 184
54. The Story of the Orphan vs. the Miser 192
Section VI. For Further Study 207
55. History 207
56. Published Books and Articles 213
57. Online Material 221
58. DVDs and Tricks with Props 223
59. How I Discovered My Method 224
60. One more thing … 227

This is really interesting. But I will wait till the actual release and some reviews.

I certainly can't blame you for that. It's what I would do.

Although the first small print run is nearly gone, the second is already underway and will follow shortly. There will be no great penalty for wait-and-see'rs like you and me.

Any update please?

Quoting the weekly newsletter from www.magicbookshop.com, "The new book on Magic Squares is shipping now as well. The book is receiving great reviews so far. If you have any interest in magic squares, you will want to add this book to your library."

I should point out that, if you know nothing at all about magic squares, you can learn quite a lot about them on the internet for free. Those who already know the standard stuff will appreciate the book more than beginners, because they will understand that it breaks new ground in a very old subject. The magic magazines should provide more complete reviews in the coming months.

Any reviews yet?

I have been asked by a couple of people if my book really introduces new methods of construction, as opposed to new ways of presenting magic square tricks using the familiar 'adjustment' method. I can appreciate the question, because there are many publications that fall into the latter category. The answer is that the methods are entirely new and not just a variation of previously known methods.

The biggest discovery is that constructing magic squares is much easier than everyone assumes. Waaaay easier. Anyone who can add two numbers can do it. While it is certainly true that the math can get deep and complicated, there is no need to delve into that aspect unless you want to. I taught the most basic method (which needs no math at all) to my five-year-old grandson.

I would like to say that I worked these methods out labriously over months or years, but the truth is that I stumbled upon them just by seeing a magic square in a different way. It was as if I saw a familiar picture in a mirror and suddenly recognized something that was there all along but had gone unnoticed. The question that still puzzles me is how could such simple methods have gone undiscovered until now. It seems incredible that none of the dozens of published books and articles on magic squares contain anything similar, but after nearly two years of searching every reference I could find, I can say with confidence that the material in this book is new.

As for reviews, I expect there to be some in the magic magazines, but not for a couple of months because of the publication lead times. The only feedback I have had directly has been high praise for the book. I got an email last night from a reader who said "It is the best Magic Square book I have seen and the best magic book I have purchased in years."

I am just back from Magic Live! where my book sold well and drew gratifying praise from some well known magicians.

I was also frequently asked in various ways "how hard is it to do?" Apparently many people are interested in magic squares but doubt their own ability to master the techniques. Of course magic squares appear to be almost impossibly difficult--that's kind of the point. But like many magic tricks, they are not nearly so difficult once you know the secrets. The secrets revealed in the book are new, and they make the construction easier than ever before. However, I don't want to misrepresent the book by saying that everything is easy, so here is a more complete answer.

The basic methods and tricks are well within the reach of anyone who can mentally add two numbers like 17 and 8. You do not have to be fast, but you must be accurate. There are three simple rules that you have to learn, but nothing else to memorize. Although my five year old grandson could not do the addition, he had no trouble learning the rules (they are based on visual patterns). There are several tricks that you can do with only the basic methods and grade school level arithmetic.

There are some slightly more advanced methods and tricks that involve a little bit of basic algebra, such as solving for the variable x in the equation x plus 12 = 27. Some of those are stronger if you can retain some numbers in your head as you do the work, but there are suggested methods to conceal notes if you find that difficult. Also, if the very thought of mental calculation in front of an audience seems terrifying, you can do the work in advance and hide the result in a crib sheet. I think most adults who finished high school can understand and perform the majority of the tricks (after a bit of practicing, of course). A few of the tricks need a little algebra to understand why they work but are completely self-working in performance.

One of the tricks would be quite challenging to pull off in performance, namely, allowing spectators to choose up to seven different cell values and then completing a magic square. It was included primarily to demonstrate how powerful and versatile the methods can be. Finally, there are a few passages that only advanced mathematicians will appreciate, but have no bearing on presenting the tricks.

In summary, the book covers a wide range of methods and tricks, from very simple to quite deep. I doubt that anyone will want to learn everything in the book. You should think of it as a recipe book that you can pick from to suit your own taste.

I believe this is an important book for that limited group of magicians and mentalists who want to perform a non-standard trick with magic squares,. I say that not because I wrote it, but because it contains new methods that are both practical and powerful, which means that new tricks are possible that would have been impossible before. I am eager to see what others can do with these techniques.

J'ai aussi rédigé un livre totalement nouveau sur le calcul des carrés magique et je comprends vos craintes de divulgations incontrôlées. J’ai le même problème. Rassurez-vous au vu de votre couverture, nous n'utilisons apparemment pas la même méthode.

J'ai résolu mon problème de protection en découpant les chapitres du livre en fichiers. Il ne suffisait que de deux petites retouches au début et à la fin de chaque chapitre. Je vais commencer la distribution dès le mois de septembre (par e-mail). En effet, je dois encore faire la vidéo de présentation pour mon site (mais je suis un adepte de la procrastination...). Je ferai une annonce ici dès que tout ça sera prêt.

De plus j'ai trois autres chapitres écrits sur le sujet utilisant des méthodes vraiment très, très déroutantes. Ces fascicules ne seront disponibles que pour les amateurs confirmés, et don't les quantités distribuées seront chaque fois moindre que la précédente.

-----------------------


I have also written a book totally new on the calculation of magic squares and I understand your fears about uncontrolled disclosures. I have the same problem. As I see your coverage, we apparently do not use the same method.

I solved my problem by cutting protection of the chapters of the book files. It was enough that two small alterations at the beginning and end of each chapter. I will begin distribution in the month of September (by email). In fact, I still have to make the presentation video for my site (but I'm a fan of procrastination ...). I will make an announcement here when it all ready.

I have three more chapters written on the subject using methods very, very confusing. These booklets will be available only for advanced amateur and the quantities will be distributed each time lesser than the last.

Interesting subject. It got me thinking more about magic squares. I'd thought about it cursorily in the past but just reading this thread got me thinking about "the other squares" and some truths immediately jumped out at me which would open up quite a few interesting possibilities. Kudos to Jimso for taking on this project and doing what appears to be quite a deep exploration.

The link provided did not work because it was missing the .com on the end. It also wasn't a direct link to the book. If you want to jump right to it, here you go: https://www.magicbookshop.com/p/books/ma......re-order

Still no reviews from anyone who bought the book?

If any review copies available, I'm game

I tried to buy the book!

The book price is very correct. But 31$ for delivery in France ... No thank you!

However, I'll be the first to buy it, if ever, you decide to sell it as a PDF document; Or if you make a delivery to a French distributor, which itself may apply more reasonable shipping rates.

Currently, I rewrite my book in English. In some time you will have the opportunity to compare by yourself the differences and similarities in our approaches.