I
do not wish to claim anything new for this centuries old feat but I do think that I have made a better effect out o f it and m y work has been to make it a shorter, snappier and more interesting item for your program. There may be several other small details of my own inserted but they are of no great con sequence.My idea of the good presentation is thusly; the performer announces the making o f a magic square under extraordinary conditions, but before starting wishes to make clear just what a magic square is.
Drawing a square o f sixteen smaller squares, the performer fills them in quickly from one to sixteen and explains that he has made a magic square o f 34. In short, by adding the columns horizontally, vertically, diagonally, any square group o f four numbers, or the four corner numbers, one w ill reach the same total o f 34. Truly, a remarkable combination and arrangement.
N ow , the performer continues, he w ill show the amount o f concentration and memory he has applied to this problem inasmuch as he can instantly make a magic square of sixteen different numbers that w ill result in any total desired by the audience. T o do this, it is obvious that he must carry any number o f totally different combinations in his mind.
Lastly to do away w ith any thought o f mathematical methods, he w ill fill in the various squares in any order in which they are pointed to by a spectator! This is the strongest point.
A number is named, the square drawn and follow ing the pointing finger o f a spectator, the performer quickly fills in the squares and the effect is over. In my mind, the presenta tion is clear, clean-cut and not in the least bit cloudy or draggy. M y method requires absolutely no memory at all except for the simple bit o f calculating.
The illustration shows the original magic square of 34 which is the smallest that can be made. If one cares to learn this, all well and good, but I simply suggest your writing down the figures beforehand on the slate or blackboard in ordinary
pencil writing which you alone can see. In chalking down your numbers, cover the pencil writing and nothing can be seen by the spectator who comes forward.
One very subtle point is that you use this first square to aid you in making the next one although you are apparently all through w ith it.
T o keep everything clear please follow the rest o f this with pencil and paper on which you have w ritten the first square.
You ask a spectator to name a number, say higher than 34 and up to 100. You put same down and T H E N make the outline of the square. Make this deliberately AS TH IS GIVES Y O U AMPLE TIME T O MAKE Y O U R SLIGHT CALCULA T IO N .
First, subtract 30 from the number given. Divide the remainder by 4 and you get either a result, or a result and a remainder. If you get an even result w ith no remainder you merely subtract one from it and remember the result as your key number.
If you get a result and a remainder, you think o f them as for instance 3-2; the first being the result and the latter the remainder. In your mind you make a equation by subtracting one from the result which gives you 2-2, and then a final move o f adding both result and remainder to make a new remainder which gives you as a key number 2-4. The above tw o paragraphs are your complete rules.
When there is a remainder in the final key number, this figure o f the two applies only to the squares numbered 13, 14, 15 and 16 in the original diagram first made. The other 12 squares use the first o f the two key numbers. When there is no remainder, the single figure applies alike to every square.
When the spectator points to the various spaces on the blank square you are keeping an eye on the filled in one near it and can note instantly the corresponding square on the first one. By adding the key number to the number in the first square you arrive at the correct number to put down the square you are working on.
W e shall make an entire example from the illustration. A fter the first part, the number given was 43. This was written down and as the square was being drawn, the follow ing calculations were quickly made:
Subtract 30 leaving 13. Divide 13 by 4 which gives 3-1. N o w the performer says to himself "3-1, 2-1, 2-3 ” . Thus 2-3 is the key. I have detailed the process of this before.
When a square is pointed to, you note the number in the same square o f the original, add the correct key number and mark down the total. In this case, the first key figure "tw o” is being added to all squares from 1 to 12 inclusive while the second key figure "three” is being added to squares 13, 14, 15 and 16. The square which Mr. Baker is just pointing to would be filled in with an “ eight” .
When there is no remainder after the division and you have only a single key figure after the subtraction o f "one” from it, you just forget about squares 13, 14, 15 and 16 and add this key figure to them all in the same manner.
Once tried out, this effect will be liked by many who heretofore have thought it too complicated or hard to learn.
I detailed this some time ago to a party who wanted it more as a pocket effect for impromptu use. He had the original square printed on the back o f a name card at one end, and after showing what a magic square was like would make one at the other end using any number named. The card was then left with the party and served as a rather cute ad.