Effect:
You write a prediction on a banknote and put it on the table, or keep it in your fist.
The spectator must think of something that is either a lie or a true statement.
When they open the banknote, it says: “You lied” (or “You said the truth”) Secret:
This solution simply uses a switch. But don't run! There is much more to it.
Preparation:
Take a bill and write: “You lied” on it.(or “Liar”, or “You will lie”,...) Roll it into a pellet, and put it in your left pocket, with the pen or marker.
Presentation:
Take the same bill denomination than your prepared bill, and the same pen. Make sure everybody sees that your hands are empty. Do this casually.
“I am going to bet that bill for a little experiment. I know what you are going to do. If I am wrong, you'll keep the money!”.
Write “You will tell the truth!” on the bill (without showing), roll it into a pellet, and put it on the table. Then recap the pen, and put it in your left pocket. Finger palm the prepared pellet.
“Think of something I cannot know (for instance the name of your mother or her birthday, or any other secret”.
“In a moment, you are going to say something out loud, but you can lie if you want .”
“Before you do it, in order to have a proof later on, please write somewhere if you are going to lie or not. I won't look of course. Don't write your secret. It is a secret, so keep it secret!
Just write LIE or TRUE for instance, on a piece of paper, and hide it”.
When it is done, you add:
“I am not going to ask you to tell your secret out loud, whether you lie or not. Just say slowly:
“I swear I am thinking of something that is true”.
After a few seconds of hesitation, you say:
“ Remember, I am committed by this prediction and my own money here on the table.”
Take the rolled bill while you say that, and show it around with your right hand..
“If I am wrong you keep it!”
“Please just tell us if you lied or not”.
- In both cases you immediately say with a big smile: “Sorry, I win! This is exactly what I predicted!”. And you wait for somebody to shout: “Prove it!”!
- If they say: “I told the truth”, no switch is required. You are already clean.
In that case, you can keep your right hand raised, and continue showing the banknote around, and then hand it to somebody else to read it.
- If they say: “I lied”: Keep your right hand above your head also, but this time, you say:
“I need a witness”.
Look around, looking for a honest spectator (-:, select one on your LEFT hand side, and while you walk to this person, your right hand goes down and fakes to transfer the pellet to the left hand (à la Bobo switch). Don't make it a move. The important thing is to be natural, and to follow your LEFT hand with your eyes, and then look into the spectator's eyes while talking to them. You hand the switched bill to the spectator, and ask her to open it and read its content. At the same time, your other hand falls down on the side. The other pellet is easily hidden in your right hand.
Here is a way to get rid of it:
Turn towards the original spectator, and ask her to show you the paper where they wrote
“LIE” or “TRUE”, and if you can keep it. Put both hands in your pockets, getting rid of the pellet, and take the pen.
Hand it to the spectator to write their name and the date on it, or telephone number, under the pretext you want to keep it as a souvenir. Or write your own telephone number on it.
Or just look for your wallet, ditch the pellet inside that pocket, and put the banknote back inside your wallet.
Again, this is a simple solution, but it works, especially in a casual environment! The key is to present it as an improvised and quick experiment. Nobody will ever suspect the other bill.
There is no way the participant can cheat as there is a proof.
Now, let's rest our brain cells a bit with two simple techniques.
“WHY MAKE IT SIMPLE WHEN WE CAN MAKE IT COMPLICATED?”
(or the opposite!)
SVENGALIE
Preparation:
Take a pad and cut every page about 0,1 inch, or just buy a Svenpad.
Prepare it in such a way that when you show the pages in one direction it will always show the word TRUE (for instance), and when you show it upside down, it will show LIAR or TRUE. In addition to LIAR or TRUE, you can also add statements like: “ALWAYS ANSWER NO”, “ALWAYS ANSWER YES”, “REPLY WHATEVER YOU WANT!”, etc.
Principle:
Force TRUE for instance with the Svengali pad.
You will now know the spectator will always tell the truth.
Ask a question you do not know the answer, and if you forced TRUE, the spectator will directly tell you the answer to your question!
From there, you can do any type of effect you want. It can also replace a peek.
Let's take for instance a drawing duplication. The spectator genuinely draws something you don't know, and that you don't see.
If you know they will always tell the truth, you can ask question such as the following, to replicate their drawing.
“Please think of any object in this room”
“Please always answer according to your role (lie or tell the truth)
“Is is round?”
“Is it big?”
“Is it on the walls?”
“Is it something you carry on you?”
etc.
(Adapt to their answers every time).