With this amazing mind reading trick, you can predict several words that a spectator chooses at random. He can really name any words he likes – in the end, you will always have written down the right prediction.
How is this mind reading trick with words performed?
The spectator chooses three words: a random object, a color he likes, and a card. You write your three different predictions for each word on three pieces of paper – and every one of them is correct.
I will explain every detail of this trick, so after reading everything, you can perform this illusion yourself! By the way: the spectator can really choose any words he likes – it doesn’t matter, the trick will work every time.
Let’s dive in.
The performance of this mind reading trick (predicting words)
To give you a better idea of the trick, here is the procedure from the spectator’s perspective.
1. The spectator chooses an object
You ask the volunteer to choose any object in the environment – it doesn’t matter which one. Then you ask him to look you in the eye, and you write your prediction face down on a piece of paper.
This piece of paper is then placed face up in front of you so that you can’t change or replace it.
2. The volunteer thinks of any color of his choice
Next, you look the spectator deep in the eyes and tell them to focus on a color of their choice. Again: you write a prediction on a piece of paper, put it aside, and only then the spectator says his chosen color.
3. One card is chosen at random
Last, you have the volunteer pick a card to show the audience (you don’t see the card). Again, have him look you in the eye, to “read his mind”, and write your final prediction on the third piece of paper.
Once all three words are written down, you ask the spectator to open them and read them out loud.
It turns out that you predicted every single word correctly.
Here’s the secret of the trick.
In short: How it works
For this mental trick, you need three pieces of paper on which you will write your three predicted words.
Both of the first choices don’t matter, the spectator can name any objects or words, only the last selection of the spectator is manipulated because you “force” a card on him.
But the audience doesn’t notice that and thus all three choices seem completely random. With this little secret, you manage to “read the spectator’s mind” every time and always write the correct prediction on the slip of paper.
Tutorial: How you can perform this mind reading trick yourself
First of all: it’s impossible to predict or estimate the thoughts of a strange spectator. This trick only works because you are always one step ahead of the spectator without him realizing it.
The only technique you need is to force a card (more on that later).
You also need to do some acting and get the trick right for it to work really well.
Explanation
You know the card the spectator will choose at the end before you do the trick. That way, you're always one step ahead of him.
The entire secret of this trick is that you don’t actually write your first prediction on the first piece of paper, you change things up. By forcing the card, you already know which one the spectator will choose and can simply write it on the first paper. From now on, you are always one step ahead.
Here’s the exact explanation of which words to write on which cards.
| The piece of paper | The prediction you write on it |
|---|---|
| The first piece of paper | Third prediction (the card you will force later) |
| The second piece of paper | First prediction (the random object from the environment) |
| The third piece of paper | Second prediction (the color the spectator has chosen) |
Now, I know, this might look a little complicated, so let me show you an actual example to explain it better.
The 1st prediction: the spectator chooses an object
On the first piece of paper, you write the third prediction (the card).
You ask the spectator to think of an object in the environment. It can be any other object, but then the choice seems very random. I would recommend you to ask the spectator to choose an object that he can actually see.
Quick tip
In itself, it doesn't matter what word the volunteer chooses, but you want to sell the trick well. And then it's better if you pretend to "read" the spectator's eyes, movements, etc. to make the correct prediction.
If a magic trick looks too impossible, the spectators will look for other explanations. However, as long as it is somehow possible for you to actually “read” the volunteer, the trick will feel more like “real magic”.
Once the spectator has made his choice, you look him deep in the eyes and then write the value of the card on the slip of paper that you will end up forcing. So your first prediction has absolutely nothing to do with the spectator’s item, but nobody knows that!
It is important that you play your role as a “mind reader” convincingly.
After that, you fold up the piece of paper (no one must be able to see what you have written on it, otherwise the trick will be unmasked immediately!)
You then place the paper in front of you in a clearly visible position, but in such a way that no curious spectator can simply grab the paper. Ideally, you should be far enough away from yourself, but also far enough away from all spectators. Nevertheless, the piece of paper must lie in such a way that the audience can see it all the time.
After that, make the spectator say aloud which item he or she has thought of.
This way, everyone in the audience knows what he has chosen, and the spectator cannot change his choice afterward.
You absolutely have to remember the word he said, you will need it!
The 2nd prediction: the spectator chooses a color
On the second piece of paper write the first prediction (the object).
Now you ask the spectator to choose a color and concentrate fully on this color. Again, you try to read his mind (however you want to do it) and then write down the next prediction.
This is how it works: on the second piece of paper, you write the item the spectator just named.
You put this piece of paper with the other one and only then does the volunteer name his or her color. Remember the color you have chosen so that you can write it on the last piece of paper.
As you can see, you never actually write down a prediction, but simply the spectator’s choice from the previous round.
The 3rd prediction: the spectator “chooses” a card
On the third piece of paper, you write the second prediction (the color).
The last thing the spectator may do is “choose” a card. This is not the case, of course, but you force him to pick a card of your choice (I’ll explain how this works in a moment).
So the spectator chooses the appropriate card and looks at it, he can also show it to the audience. You don’t see the card (it’s best to turn around)!
Now, the volunteer should put the card face down in front of him and you try one last time to “read his mind”.
Again: on the third slip of paper, write the color the spectator has just chosen and put it with the other pieces of paper.
Now you have three pieces of paper with the three correct predictions on them. All you have to do now is turning them over and reading out your three predicted words.
Forcing a card: How it works
In order to perform this mind reading trick, you have to learn this technique. But don’t worry, stay with me – it’s really easy. Even if you don’t have any experience with cards, you won’t have a problem learning this method in a few minutes.
With this card forcing move, the spectator thinks he has a free choice, but you know the chosen card beforehand.
I’ve included the video of a very simple method, the so-called “Hindu Force”. For this technique, you only need to know the bottom card (this is the card the spectator will “choose”). Then you shuffle the deck as shown in the video and force the card on the spectator.
Now, as I already said, this is one of the easiest forcing methods out there. If you want to dive deeper here, you will find many great tutorials on youtube.
Final tips about the trick and guessing the words
The most important thing: even if you now know the secret of the trick, still try to see the trick through the eyes of the audience.
Try to play your role as a “mentalist” really convincingly (as if you would actually estimate the spectator). Pay attention to his posture, his eyes, and his choice of words. Of course, this has nothing to do with the trick, but that’s why it’s so important.
This “mental” magic trick only works really well when you give the audience the illusion that you are actually somehow “reading” the spectator in front of you.
Hence my tip is that the object to be chosen (1st choice) should be in the environment. This way the choice is much smaller and many more spectators will really believe that you have the ability to read minds.
In theory, the spectator could say any word, no matter what the term is. But this would make the trick seem so impossible that the audience might become suspicious. So keep up the appearance of the “mind reader”!
A quick tip about the pieces of paper
The pieces of paper on which you write your predictions must not be seen or opened by anyone until the end of the trick. But your audience must always have a good look at them (otherwise accusations will come after the trick that you switched the papers).
Never give the pieces of paper to an audience member, they will immediately look to see what you have written on them!
So where is the best place to put the pieces of paper? Somewhere as far away from the spectators as possible, but at the same time far enough away from you. Everyone must be able to see them, but no one must touch them. You will find a suitable place.
And one more thing: The pieces of paper are in the wrong order because you didn’t write prediction 1 on slip 1. To avoid this, put them in a basket, a box, a cylinder, or whatever.
But never put them next to each other or in an orderly sequence, because your audience will then reveal the secret of the trick!
You can also shuffle them again briefly before giving them to the spectator to read them. But do this as inconspicuously as possible, otherwise, an attentive audience might get suspicious.
All in all, if your acting is good and you’ve practiced the trick a few times, this can be an amazing mind-reading illusion!
If you are interested in learning a few more mind-reading tricks, make sure to check my other tutorials as well:
With this mind-reading trick, you can guess the number chosen by a spectator.
Image source (header image):
https://www.pexels.com/photo/words-text-scrabble-blocks-695571/
