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The starting point i´m working from, although i´m investigating some other methods, is Banachek´s original TNT.

This ´n´ That can be performed in Spanish being Esta ´y´ Esa and it worked extremely well on the first try (patter needs to improve in Spanish but at least I know it´s achieveable).

However, I failed on not having the natural barrier of a stage/formal surroundings in performing to work colleagues/friends (especially as they weren´t aware of my "skills" after knowing me for a year) and so immediately there´s the reaction "oh wow, let´s see (give me) the cards - no/repeat the fanning" (which I realise will diminish with better spectator control/patter) and also if i´m not doing a "routine" it becomes hard "finish clean" and satisfy wandering hands/minds.

I want to get around this by writing on the paper/cards/beer mats in front of them (but them not seeing exactly what i´m writing) rather than it looking pre-set up and false - by misdirecting like this before they shouldn´t question the answer as it´ll look very clean but can remain in the original format.

Does anyone have an idea on whether this sounds like a good idea or are people just going to say "what are you writing?".

I may be completely wrong of course!

Well, if you write out all three words on the cards, they're going to realize they're being had. I wouldn't recommend it.

The original trick isn´t that. 4 cards, they pick one - their´s says "This" (or that) and the other 3 appear to say "That" (or this). Rather than appearing with 4 random cards or whatever prepared with "This" and "That" I was thinking why not write it in front of them whilst sizing them up in a Derren Brownesque way and chatting about the choices. Unless they pen read they´re not going to know what i´ve written.

I know there´s the "This", "Nothing" and "That" and it sounds good but not what i´m looking at at the moment.