BILL GOLDMAN'S

MENTAL
YARN
A Product of FUN Incorporated
Chicago Illinois 6 0 6 3 9 USA
Copyright © 2003. All Rights Reserved.
[Link]
THE STAGGERING EFFECT
Simply Stated: A spectator thinks o f an object. T h e
magician instantly, without guess work or chance o f
failure, tells the spectator exactly what object they have
in mind.

T h e Detailed Description: T h e spectator is asked

to think of either the word "even" or the word "odd."
T h e magician hazards a guess - was the spectator thinking
"odd"?

W h e t h e r o r n o t the p e r f o r m e r g u e s s e s correctly is
immaterial. T h e test gets harder from here o n out. T h e
spectator next thinks of a n u m b e r between o n e a n d ten
and associates it with a phrase. But rather than having a
1 0 % chance of reading the spectator's thoughts, the
magician increases the difficulty level yet again.

Taking the feat into the realm of the impossible, the

spectator is asked to associate their thought-of phrase
with an object from another list.

Amazing as it may seem, even before the spectator knows

what object they have in mind, the magician knows what lists at a time. T h e second and third sets have been

they are thinking! With unerring accuracy, the thought- provided to give you another option should you care to

reader tells the spectator exactly what object he has in r e p e a t the trick o r if you w o u l d like to vary y o u r

mind. performance.

METHOD AND PRESENTATION Begin the trick by asking the spectator if she believes you
can read m i n d s . Whatever the answer is, tell her you
think that you can, but that you'd like to start out with an
T h e secret of this stunner is so devilishly simple, you'll
easy test, to "warm u p . "
almost cry from excitement once you know how it works.

A s k her to think of the word "even" or the word "odd." A s

It's a force!
in even numbers or odd numbers. And once she has one
of the two choices in mind, you're going to read her thoughts
N o w , now.
and tell her which of the two she was thinking of.

T h e force isn't a force in the traditional sense of the

N o w take a guess. Just guess. It doesn't matter if she's
word. You're not going to ask people to pick a card or
thinking of even or o d d . You just take a stab at it.
anything so despicable. In fact, you're going to let the
spectator force the item on herself.
W h a t you're trying to do is figure out whether she's
thinking of even or odd without alluding to the fact that
Here's how: Provided with this booklet are two pairs
this teeny, tiny bit of information is the entire secret of
of lists. O n e set was printed on red card stock, the other
the trick you're about to perform.
on blue, and the third on yellow. Blue lists are used in
conjunction with each other, red with each other, and
yellow with each other. You get the idea. U s e one set of S o , if you got it right, just tell her, "I knew it," and move
o n . If you got it wrong, make up an excuse as to why. "Let's make this really difficult," you continue. Tell her

"Well, what did you expect? G e n u i n e m i n d reading?" that you'd like to take the experiment o n e step further by

works well and might get a laugh (or groan). In our delving into the world of association. You've got another

example, let's a s s u m e that she picked even, and that one list on hand (convenient!) that you'll use for this.

way or the other, you now know this. Amazingly, at this

point, the trick is over, as far as the actual work you have Tell your spectator to listen to the list that you're about

to d o . But for the spectator, things are just beginning. to read. It's c o m p o s e d of several objects - a dozen or so.
You would like her to associate the word or phrase she

Tell her that you'd like to make the next test more has in mind with o n e of the objects from the list you're

difficult. Y o u ' r e ready for the real deal. N o more 5 0 / 5 0 . about to read.

T h a t ' s just kid stuff, you joke. T o increase the difficulty,

you introduce a card on which has been printed ten N o w read the list to her. Try to do so in a steady rhythm

phrases, each o n e next to a number, from o n e to ten. so as not to seem like you're trying to influence her choice

Since she was thinking of "even," you ask her to think of of objects in any way.

and even n u m b e r between one and ten. T h e n , once she's

got that n u m b e r in m i n d , have her look at her n u m b e r O n c e you've read through the list, put it away. A s k the

on the list and remember the phrase next to it. spectator to concentrate on her new object. Tell her that
you'd like her to envision the object on the table (or
Show her the list. In this example, we'll use the blue one. floor, or wherever) in front of her.
Give her a moment to consider it, see her number and the
corresponding phrase. (Don't let her tell you what the phrase Tell her that you'd like her to picture you picking up the

is. Just have her keep it in mind.) Since she is thinking of object and placing it in her hand. Tell her to indulge you

an even number, she will choose one of the following five and to cup her hands in readiness to receive the imaginary

words: Yarn, Golden Color, A Ball, Cat's Toy, or Round. object you're about to drop into them.
For the killer finish, mime the action of picking up the W h y does this work?

object from the table a n d slowly placing it into her

Studying the lists provided will reveal quite a bit about why
outstretched h a n d s . In our example, she will end up
Mental Yarn works. T h e key to the effect is really in the
thinking of the Yellow Ball of Yarn, which is what you
numbered lists provided. For example, look at just the even
mimic dropping into her h a n d s .
numbers on the numbered blue list. See how they can all
be associated with the Yellow Ball of Yarn on the other
Finis. blue list? Yarn. Golden Color. A Ball. Cat's Toy. Round.

BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT O n e element of the object can easily be associated with
OBJECT SHE HAS IN MIND? one of these phrases. S o , when you ask a spectator to
associate one of these things with something on the other
Simple. list, they're left with no option but to think of the Yellow
Ball of Yarn - it's the only option that makes sense based
If she was initially thinking of "even," then on the blue on your instructions and their choices.
list, she will end up thinking of the Yellow Ball of Yarn.
O n the red list, an even n u m b e r will yield the C h r i s t m a s T h e same goes for the odd n u m b e r s and the C a r v i n g
T r e e . O n the yellow list, even will yield a r e m o t e Knife. All the odd n u m b e r e d phrases can s o m e h o w be
controlled car. associated with the knife - b u t the association is not
obvious. T h e phrases seem different enough that when
If odd is the selection, then on the blue list, the selection a spectator looks at the n u m b e r e d list, everything will
will always be the carving knife. O n the red list, the seem like it was c o m p o s e d in a r a n d o m fashion.
selection will be the Wristwatch. O n the yellow list, it's
the cherry popsicle. It always works. N o kiddin'. O f course, the red lists work the s a m e way, but with
different phrases a n d force objects. S a m e thing for the Over the phone: O n the p h o n e with a potential client
yellow list. or a friend you'd like to impress? Read both lists to them
over the p h o n e a n d tell them to visualize the object
ALTERNATIVE PRESENTATIONS/ dropping into their h a n d . Even though you're not in the

OPTIONAL HANDLINGS same r o o m , you're still able to perform the trick once
you know if they're thinking of even or odd.
N o Props Miracle: After performing the effect a few
times, you'll begin to memorize the lists. O n c e you know O n the C o m p u t e r : Y o u might be able to perform
them by heart, you'll be able to perform this miracle Mental Yarn via email or instant messenger. J u s t follow
without the props! J u s t remember that you'll need to the instructions, but instead of reading out the lists, email
memorize the numbered lists in order. them to y o u r participant. H o w e v e r , m a k e s u r e the
recipient of your emails doesn't have a chance to dwell
On Stage: There is no reason Mental Yarn has to be on the lists for too long. Providing them with instructions
performed in one-on-one situations. The astonished reactions to delete your m e s s a g e s (the ones that contain your
of the volunteers you choose will be all that's necessary to instructions and the lists) once they've been read might
sell the effect to a larger audience. Because there are two
be a way to prevent this from happening.
possible choices (even and odd) you can perform this with
two people on stage, each "thinking" of a different object.
Other Possibilities: W h a t about o n the radio? O n
Positioning a person on either side of you, you instruct one
TV? Mental Y a r n can b e performed in nearly any
of them to choose either even or odd. If he selects odd, you
situation, under test conditions. Try the trick with a radio
instruct the other person to think of an even number. This
listener that's called in, or a caller (perhaps two?) o n a
way, there is no chance of them thinking of the same
number. Revealing two different thoughts (objects) can truly T V show. You might be able to perform the trick for the

double the impact of this mind-boggling effect. entire T V audience by flashing the lists o n the screen.
WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO ACT you're going to drop the object into her hand, build things
up with appropriate phrasing and acting. If dropping the
T h e key to success with this trick is really in the way you imaginary ball of yarn, say, "Be sure to catch the soft,
phrase your delivery of the script. T h e right script can yellow ball of yarn as I drop it into your hand. Don't let
make or break your performance. it roll away!"

D o n ' t s : For example, never, ever use the phrase "Freely If you're going to set an imaginary knife in her hand, say
Associate." Never. W h e n it comes time for the spectator something like, "I'd better not drop this into your hand. In
to associate the phrase they are thinking of from the 1-10 fact, be very careful as I set this on your palms. This carving
list with one from your list of objects, if they actually knife is sharp!" Topical jokes are easy to make when
freely associate, then they can choose any one of the discussing an object. O n the red list, for example, if the
objects off the list. T h i s is exactly what you don't want to christmas tree is selected, you have plenty of opportunities
h a p p e n ! W h a t you w a n t to h a p p e n is for t h e m to to make quips about holidays with the family.
deliberately associate their phrase with an object from
your list. You might consider having the appropriate objects on
your table and dropping them into the spectator's hands
D o n ' t let the s p e c t a t o r s e x a m i n e or dwell o n the (have them close their eyes first!) once they've settled on
numbered lists. They'll catch on rather quickly to the o n e . In the case of a C h r i s t m a s tree, you'll need a
secret if allowed to study them. S o dispose of these at the miniature o n e .
first p o s s i b l e m o m e n t . W h e n they first look at the
n u m b e r e d list, don't give them a n opportunity to look at "Sell" the effect once you know what object she's going
all the n u m b e r s , just the o n e they have in mind. to pick. D o n ' t just follow the usual procedure - you've
got every opportunity for a great presentation because
Dos: W h e n it comes to the point in the routine where you know the outcome of the trick. M a k e the most of it!
A BRIEF HISTORY
T h i s effect is based on Ed M e l l o n ' s principle called
synomity, first introduced in his classic Synonomental
and one phase of a N e d Rutledge effect.