talkmagic.co.uk

I've had this trick for a while now and it is really baffling for the spectators. I've never had anyone ask to examine the cards and the cards which the volunteer is left with are just normal cards. Good trick.

This trick reminded me alot of Daryls "Crossed Thoughts" which is explained on FoolerDoolers, however in this version it only uses 10 cards, split 5 by 5 (becoming 6 and 4) so my guess it uses the same gimmick(s).

When I checked out Daryls site though I noticed that there is a trick there called "Double Crossed" and reading that description I would say it is exactly the same trick (sold at $25)

http://www.foolerdoolers.com/store/prod ... ategory=20

It just got me thinking as to whether this was two people coming up with the same idea at the same time (as after all, all 3 versions are based on strengthening the "Princess Card trick") or if someone has seen the others trick and decided to reproduce it?

I guess copyrighting magic tricks is still a very non exact process...

A copyright doesn't keep people from putting out the trick. They just cannot copy the instructions word for word. If they rewrite the instructions, they can put out the same trick legally (not ethically, but legally). To keep them from putting out the same trick, you'd need a patent. A couple of problems with that. One is that it is very expensive--costs more than you're ever likely to make marketing most magic tricks (except for expensive illusions, etc). Second, you have to reveal the workings of the trick, which then are open to the public--exposing the mthod, and making it easy for someone to modify slightly and make the same trick. Not really worth the trouble, is it?

Regarding this version of the flying cards: My favorite version of Princess Trick is Larry Jennings' Limited Edition. One packet of 5 cards, they think of one and then one card becaomes blank--the one they thought of!

For Cards Across on the other hand (and this trick is basically a combination of Cards Across and The Princess), I prefer versions like Tamariz' or Aronson's Red Sea Passover. In these routines, there are two packets of twn cards. Spec decides on, say, two cards from one packet. That packet is counted and there are only eight cards and the selections are not among them. The other packet is counted--TWELVE cards, with the selections now there. In the Aronson method, the packets are different colors, so at the end, you spread the blue-backed packet to find the red-backed choice!

IMO, this is stronger, because the cards "actually" vanish from one packet (now only eight cards) to appear in the other (now really 12 cards). When the same number of cards remain in each packet, the effect is not as clear nor, IMO as strong. And in Simon's version, when that blue packet is spread and a different colored card is exposed...!

Just food for thought.

The description for Daryl's Double-Crossed says that after the transposition the spectator now has 12 cards, instead of the 10 they started with.
The description for Flying Cards says they still have 10, including the two thought-of cards.
Personally I think the extra cards make Daryl's version much more magical.