I bought this as a download from Penguin. At the bottom of every page is either an 'R' or an 'L'.

I haven't started reading it yet, so I thought I'd ask here, what's up with that?

Remnants from the DTP version?


Dave

In the printed book, L is on the left page, and R is on the right page -- a subtle graphic element related to one of the aspects of performing Quinta I'm guessing!

You're saying that even in the printed book there's R's & L's at the bottom of every page?

I thought about that, but there's some times where there's 4 R's in a row.

It doesn't flip back and forth.

So odd.


Dave

Yeah, actually taking a closer look at the printed book, it's a pattern of the first two pages with L, thenR, the next two pages have R and R, then RL, and then LL, and it repeats throughout the book!

I think he explains this at the beginning of the book. If memory serves, the R and L correspond to which side you should begin on given the number. So the page number corresponds to which side you would start on if someone named that number.

Thanks @TMG, I'll have to continue reading.


Dave

Some great Quinta ideas in The Jerx this month.

Quinta is an awesome forcing tool for those 'on-the-fly' moments where you can turn an effect into a miracle.

However, I wouldn't use it as a selection and revelation as I think for object selection, it works best as a natural part of the process leading to something else. In this capacity, it also works brilliantly at adding a double whammy to predictions.

Despite what I said above. My favourite application of Quinta is the exception (as the selection is the heart of this effect). This routine is TCP.

TCP is one of those rare effects where it looks EXACTLY the same as if you were doing it for real. There is no visual, procedural, or perceptible compromise as the amazing principle Phill has discovered means that if you do it right, the impossible just happens. When performing it, you fool yourself as you literally step back and watch it work. If you can fool yourself, it truly means there is nothing to hide as there's nothing dodgy for your audience to pick up on.

For those who don't know, the effect is five people are brought on stage, someone else names any number and the envelope is passed that many times between them (the performer can be stood on the other side of the room). The person who has the envelope when they reach the number opens it, and it is a perfect description of them from their gender to hair to their clothing - it couldn't have been anyone else and they really can choose any number.

Technically it may only be a 1 in 5 choice but the freedom, openness and lack of any funny business makes this play 100x bigger.

The routine is written for stage (and it is in my stage act) but I've also found it is a great close-up mentalism opener for a group of 6 or more.

Thanks for this reminder Jak, is that in print in his main book ?

It's in the original Quinta book (which I own) and I believe, but can't confirm, that it is also in his major work 'Mythology Codex' (which I don't own).

Glad to have reminded you of it - it really is such a great routine!

Gréât I have both and will check right away thanks a lot

If you like Phill's work, you MUST get Mythology. It's bursting with a ton of workable effects. It includes Quinta with some updates but that's a tiny tiny fraction of what's included.

I love QUINTA to select one of five borrowed books if doing a booktest at someones house.
Of course I include one that I either examined earlier or own myself.
The selection of 1 of the already seemingly 5 random books feels very fair and logical in this context.
Kids love to do the counting procedure.