Goodbye, Joe!
by Werner Miller

Werner Miller is a retired teacher of mathematics, whose hobbies are recreational mathematics and magic. A magical inventor and writer, Werner has produced a prolific volume of work, mostly what he calls “semi-automatic” card tricks based on mathematical principles. He is the author of "Fast von selbst", "Alles Miller oder was", "Ratatouille", more than 300 trick contributions to various magazines and web sites and more than 30 related computer programs. In addition, Werner is also a staff member of the German magazine "Magische Welt", a columnist for the British magazine "The Magician", and regular contributor here at Visions. Werner's first English-language book, Ear-Marked, is available here.

This is the final part of my mini-series on the "Josephus Problem".

This time the suit of a card is spelled (as in "Liar's Clock"), and the card falling on the last letter proves to be of that suit (as in "WYSIWYG") - 13 times, thus eliminating the cards of a complete suit, and the spectator's chosen card - the only one of a different suit - remains.

Have the deck openly separated into suits: a Club packet, a Heart packet, a Spade packet, and a Diamond packet. Turn the packets face down, and move them around to mix them. (Secretly keep track of the Diamond packet.) Let the spectator freely select two packets. (Note if the Diamond packet is among them.) The two remaining packets are discarded.

One of the selected packets is for you. It is vital that this is not the Diamond packet. If the Diamonds have been already discarded, let the spectator designate your packet, if the Diamonds are still in play simply take the other packet and leave the Diamonds for the spectator.

Openly look at the faces of your cards and name the random suit you got, e.g. Clubs. The spectator does not mention his suit. He notes and remembers any card from his packet and discards the balance. The noted card is placed on top of your cards. False cut the packet, then mix the cards "Under/Down" style, dealing the "down" cards side by side into a row.

The spectator's card will be the 11th one.

State that this row consists of a complete suit - Clubs - and one stranger card which you are going to find by eliminating all the other cards step by step.

Spell "C-L-U-B-S", with each letter tapping the back of a card. The card falling on the last letter is turned face up, named ("... of Clubs"), and placed aside. Repeat this procedure eliminating every 5th card (wrap around if necessary) until only one card is left. It will be automatically the spectator's card.

Note: If your cards are Spades or Hearts, spell "S-P-A-D-E" or "H-E-A-R-T" respectively (singular!), and instead of using the full name remark only "a Spade card" or "a Heart card" respectively when turning a card face up.

Werner Miller