Tattle Tailed by Michael Murray

The mentalist requests the help of a married couple to participate in a simple experiment. The volunteers are each handed a set of five ESP cards which they proceed to mix sight unseen. With the mixing complete the female of the couple is asked to deal her cards face down onto the table creating a small row of five cards. As each card is dealt her partner is asked to place one of his cards face up behind it.

With all of the cards dealt to the table the male is then asked which “single” adjacent pair of cards he believes will match. He is cautioned to take his time over this so that a conscious decision can

be made. After making his choice the face down card is then revealed (logic dictates that the chances of the pair matching will be one in five). It is reasoned that any successful outcome in this demonstration would be attributed to chance alone. It is then proposed that the couple repeat this exercise for a second time with a slight difference.

Each partner is requested to gather their respective cards and mix them for a second time, however this time rather than look at the cards, they are asked to hold each others gaze. Whilst holding their partners gaze they are asked to very slowly and deliberately mix the cards. As they do this the remaining audience is witness to something quite remarkable. The two spectators appear to be working in harmony and their sets of cards slowly begin to pair up.

Once the spectators have mixed their cards as much or as little as they desire they are reminded that any other mixing (more or less) would have resulted in each packet being in a different order. The spectators both agree. The mentalist then recounts an amazing story during which it is revealed that the spectators have unknowingly taken part in a subconscious connectivity test. The spectators themselves turn each of their cards face up revealing that they have somehow mixed each of their respective piles into the exact same order beating the extreme odds of one hundred and twenty to one