by Jesse Gernigin

Whoever created this weeks challenge does not know their magic history or literature, many forms of this very effect have appeared in shows and once or twice in print. The methods are easy and almost embarrasing. The most obvious method would be an adaptation of a T.A Waters idea from Mind Myth in Magick whereupon after doing a card psychometry routine he proceeds to fold and number the cards. The spectators are asked to call out numbers 1-w/e
and they find at the end that they have all called the numbers that were written on their cards even though they have no idea what it was.

solution-boon writer

So all I can add is the staging.

Since this effect is so simple you have to make it very clear. Start by showing nine ping pong balls all numbered 1-9. Drop them into a bag of sorts. While dropping them into the bag wipe the marker off the balls so they are all blank, do this casually and *sighs at having to say this* don't make a move out of it. Go through the outlined presentation procedure and then come to the ball part. Comment on the combination of numbers, impossibility to know this beforehand, w/e etc...Next comes the selection procedure have the spectator/s one at a time reach in and grab a ball, have them hand it to you and decide what number it is to be put under. Of course
under the number you could have any sort of stands you desire onto which to rest the balls. Here comes the only hard part of the routine, writing the number on the ball, there are many spots in such a routine that you could do this that it really isn't hard and adds a secret element of fun to the routine due to the improvisational nature of how you can write it. For instance when they take it out of the bag you hold the ball behind the bag to glance the number and write it there (but have them choose where to 'place it.' ) You could write it as you turn to place it on the podium (but take care not to allow the spectator to believe that you switched balls while turning around. And on and on.