Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Missing Card trick will leave some mystified
Another day, another cool trick makes it to the iPhone/iPod touch. Today it's the Missing Card [App Store Link] for US $0.99.The effect is that a small group of picture cards are displayed on the iPhone. You are asked to think of one, but not indicate which one you have chosen, and no tapping on the card on the iPhone screen so people don't think that is the secret. There is some nice animation as the cards flip over and one is removed. All the cards are face down. You are asked to reveal your card, and all the cards are turned over but one. Your card is no longer in the group.
It's a nice trick, and an old one. It's generally knows as the Princess Card trick, and after years of being a mainstay for magicians it made it to the web and was widely seen in a number of variations.
This is a nice version of the effect, and the animation is smooth and attractive. My only criticisms are that the magician gets no credit for the trick. it appears that the phone is doing all the heavy lifting. Also, the card left over, the face down one, can't be revealed. I think there are some ways to deal with that if the developer takes the trouble to work it out.
For people who have not seen the trick, it will be a stunner. It's a good little diversion to try in a bar or a party. If you think the secret is too widespread, this is not the trick for you. If the description seems fresh, give it a try on your friends or co-workers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cormier6083 said 3:16PM on 3-08-2009
Man, do I remember falling for that one. I was freaking out!
Good times indeed.
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Steve Marks said 3:45PM on 3-08-2009
How can the developer "work it out"?? The face down card could "be" any of the original cards.
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Adam G said 3:55PM on 3-08-2009
That would be telling now wouldn't it.
Taylor. Yes, Taylor. said 5:29PM on 3-09-2009
By "work it out", they mean that the developer could make it look more like the person playing the trick is doing some part of it. They could maybe give the person something to do on screen afterwards so it looks like they removed the card. Maybe a good shake to flip them over, then drag any card down to the corner, shake it again, and magically the card is missing.
-Taylor
Stephen.4 said 4:56PM on 3-08-2009
http://www.card-trick.com/missing_card.htm
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Murphy Mac said 6:19PM on 3-08-2009
A friend of mine had two of our co-workers (at Guinness in Dublin) sitting at a computer - when I walked in he had a big smile and said, "I've got them picking two cards each and they still don't get it."
That was 1998. There was a web site that did this trick well with a bouncing blue bunny interlude to distract from the card replacement. It was always a good trick.
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glad said 7:04PM on 3-08-2009
I had this its called impossible on ten iphone and it's a great trick I never got it until a friend told me and that spoilt it for me, never bothered with it again.. However it did create some fun with friends when I got them to have a go.
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alansky said 7:07PM on 3-08-2009
The card you pick is not there because ALL THE CARDS HAVE CHANGED. If you're interested in a trick that is a little harder to figure out, try MindReader.
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Steve Marks said 8:16PM on 3-08-2009
Exactly my point. All the cards changed. Now if the person tells you the card they chose and then you "shook" the iphone in such a way that let the app know... maybe then it could work? But even then, that's a whole different trick altogether.
dagaz said 2:49AM on 3-09-2009
There's always someone who wants to spoil it for everybody else (BTW, I already knew this but wasn't going to post it for those who didn't).
Bolence said 9:35AM on 3-09-2009
Here's how it is done:
1. There are 3x4=12 picture cards (3 - jacks, queens, kings and 4 suites) in a deck. So, pick ANY 6, just make sure you have them well mixed out of all suites and pictures. Then, when your victim "picks" one, you replace them ALL with only 5 from the REMAINING 6 he/she never saw and claim you "removed" the one they picked. Actually, trick works because you removed ALL original cards and thus definitely the one they picked, too. Because it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to remember all original 6 cards, they won't notice you switched them all but only that they can't find theirs and thus will fall for this cheap and stupid trick.
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henrik said 2:11PM on 3-09-2009
Seems that there are now two of those tricks in the store. Link:
http://bit.ly/OU942
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