I msut say, this set of notes is fantastic.

For just Nine dollers (that's one dollar for one completely usable trick), you get nine effects, nearly all of them workable, for me at least. they all have a mathe theme, but are direct, and impressive. I was sold mine via-email, and I can say this is the only magic manuscript I have ever read in one sitting, staring at my computer. Probably my FAVORITE effect out of all of them was Masonic Numerolgy. Think of a micro numerology reading combined with a serial divination. Perfect, and completely impromptu, if you can borrow a scratch of paper and a pen. All nine routines were great, one of particular note puts an old gaffed card you probably have lying in a drawer to use, and another is here you divine how much a spec has spent on an imaginary shopping spree, the amount found on your credit card.

I can't rave enough aabout it. And look at the price!

Please, Mr. Vanderbeck, keep creating, and I will keep buying.

Best,
Monte

This sound's cool. How do I get one?

Yes indeed, sounds great. Do you have a link ? Please ....

You can buy it here:

http://web.mac.com/elementalent/iWeb/Arithemagic/NINE.html

I contacted Philemon here at the Café. I'm sure a PM would work (it did for me!!)

Best,
Monte

Many thank´s, I have just ordered ...

Just got it. Looks promising.

John

I just got mine - for $9 this is a steal! Great work, sir.

I finally got around to reading this. There are NEW THINGS here....Just what I'm looking for
And some good 'Cloaking" of the old things too

LOVE NINE!!!

I just wanted to chime in. I received NINE a few days ago and loved it. I absolutely enjoyed the style of writing. The effects are very straightforward, and only require a minimum of memorization. Three of the effects I was already using, as they are readliy available. But I still enjoyed the presentation that he gives for them. Although math based magic can seem transparent, the routines are well disguised. don't write off these types of effects until you try them. Very recommended!

I just wrote to Philemon. I was given this book to read by a fellow mentalist because he knew I was working on some mathematical stuff. I had never heard of it. It's excellent!! You are going to find some interesting spins on mathematical effects. Well worth the price and more.
By the way, in the note I sent Philemon I said I had discovered an easier way to do the Suduko formula that's mentioned. If he allows it I will give it to those that buy his book. Send him your nine bucks right away because this is a very good value.

Greg

By all means, I give Greg permission to send his Sudoku technique to all purchasers of NINE.

Anyone that wants it can email me here... you definitely won't understand it if you don't have Philemon's book so get it first.

Greg

Amen to that.

Just goes to show you that even puzzles can be entertaining, if folded into an intriguing mystery.

I love the way the manuscript ended. It's a clever "O. Henry" sort of thing (with a Hitchcockian twist). An intersting presentational idea at that.

I liked it.

I just got Greg's new sudoku technique. It is indeed hard to explain, but once you get it...It's FAST.

Great stuff again from Greg.

Okay, update: a word of caution about my quicker solution. The only pattern that it won't work on is if the spectator gives you the numbers 1 through 9 horizontally. So if the top row, from left to right, reads as 147, and the second row is 258 and the third row is 369 then this quick solution won't work. A big thanks to my friend Federico Luduena for figuring that out.
Apparently he loved the solution and went to town doing the combinations. So if the spectator starts to give you that simple pattern then just tell him to make it hard for you and mix up the numbers.
Here's a coincidence: the first guy I did this to is a math guy and he just called out numbers 1 through 9 put I was putting them in vertically so it worked. I think I might have lost confidence if the first attempt had failed. That was a stroke of luck.
Greg

I'm slightly confused...

Greg, your solution should work with any pattern of numbers, as the numbers in a Sudoku puzzle are really only 'symbols' (and can, in fact, be anything).

However, I think I see your point, that if a spectator calls out the numbers as you've indicated "1, 4, 7, etc." then the pattern will be obvious.

In order to overcome this one weakness, when I'm performing for a crowd, I have different people call out the numbers, which usually prevents any clear pattern from being seen.

Thanks for that, Philemon. I feel dumb in that I didn't even bother to try it out with that configuration. I just assumed Federico had worked it out.

Oh, well. Everybody, get back to your Sudoku puzzles!!

Greg

It all works. An apology from Federico who jumped the gun:

Ooops. I mixed the two grids. When trying the consecutive numbers both ways (horizontally and vertically) I mixed the two grids. Both work, although there are strings of 1 through 9 in order.

But the multiples of nine are there. And the possibility of forcing the entire grid if you choose the numbers (with different outcomes).


Greg