| Author | Message | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3948 Registered: 1-2001 |
A man carrying a knife confronts a woman on the sidewalk. Nearby, another man hides behind a wall. The man with the knife tells the woman that she must make a choice. As bystanders gather, she makes the choice. The man behind the wall jumps up, and several of the bystanders scream. What is going on? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17165 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is a crime being committed? Is some form of acting going on? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3950 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is a crime being committed? No Is some form of acting going on? Yes | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 2491 Registered: 12-2010 |
Does the man with the knife know the woman? Does the woman know the other man? Do the two men know each other? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3951 Registered: 1-2001 |
Does the man with the knife know the woman? No Does the woman know the other man? No Do the two men know each other? Yes | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 4995 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is this occurring at a museum or park? A reenactment of some sort? | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 1533 Registered: 1-2011 |
Is the knife visible to bystanders? To the woman? Is it relevant? Is the woman's choice visible to bystanders? Is it only verbal? Is anyone in danger? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3952 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is this occurring at a museum or park? A reenactment of some sort? No to both Is the knife visible to bystanders? To the woman? No, not to either Is it relevant? It's relevant to know that, at some point, the man had a knife Is the woman's choice visible to bystanders? Yes Is it only verbal? No Is anyone in danger? No | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
New member Username: Peter365 Post Number: 4150 Registered: 1-2007 |
Is either of the men wearing a costume or a mask? Is there some form of promotion going on? Does the woman win a prize? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3953 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is either of the men wearing a costume or a mask? No Is there some form of promotion going on? No Does the woman win a prize? No | ||
| Enjay (Enjay)
New member Username: Enjay Post Number: 1522 Registered: 4-2007 |
Does the woman know what is going on? Does she think she is really being threatened? Do the bystanders think this? Is the choice 'do x or I'll stab you'? Is the woman scared by the man jumping up? Is this a prank? A candid camera type show? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3955 Registered: 1-2001 |
Does the woman know what is going on? Yes, at least most of it Does she think she is really being threatened? No, and she's not Do the bystanders think this? No Is the choice 'do x or I'll stab you'? No Is the woman scared by the man jumping up? No Is this a prank? No A candid camera type show? It is a show, but not this type (but an extra point to you for knowing what 'Candid Camera' is) | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17167 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the man behind the wall one of the actors? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3956 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is the man behind the wall one of the actors? Yes, he's involved, but not really an "actor" | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 1535 Registered: 1-2011 |
Are the people involved trying to make a point? To prove something? To win a bet? Is it a sort of awareness campaign? Do the bystanders think that the woman is threatened? Do they find the situation funny? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3958 Registered: 1-2001 |
Are the people involved trying to make a point? Yes...but indirectly To prove something? Yes, but indirectly To win a bet? No Is it a sort of awareness campaign? Not really - no one is "promoting a cause" if that is what you are asking Do the bystanders think that the woman is threatened? No Do they find the situation funny? Some of them may possibly find it funny I suppose | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 1536 Registered: 1-2011 |
Would the man behind the wall still have jumped up, if the woman had made another choice? Did she have more than two possible choices? Are there other people relevant (other than man with a knife, woman, man behind the wall and bystanders)? Are the people involved H? A? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3959 Registered: 1-2001 |
Would the man behind the wall still have jumped up, if the woman had made another choice? Yes, but see the next answer Did she have more than two possible choices? She assumed that she did, yes, and the bystanders all assumed that she did. Regardless of the choice she made, though, the man would still have jumped up. Are there other people relevant (other than man with a knife, woman, man behind the wall and bystanders)? No Are the people involved H? A? They are all human. The man with the knife, the man behind the wall and the woman are all adults. The bystanders could be adults and/or children | ||
| Rbruma (Rbruma)
New member Username: Rbruma Post Number: 2020 Registered: 9-2009 |
Were the bystanders part of the prank? Long shot in the dark: was it a Remi Gaillard show? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3962 Registered: 1-2001 |
Were the bystanders part of the prank? No, they were all unaware of the action until they walked up and witnessed it. This isn't really a "prank" though, there is another word for what is being done. Was it a Remi Gaillard show? I had to look up who this is, so for everyone's benefit: Rémi Gaillard (born 7 February 1975 in Montpellier, France) is a French humorist who uploads videos on YouTube. After losing his job at a shoe store, Rémi then began to use his free time to have fun and run some pranks on the public. He is the seventeenth most subscribed comedian on YouTube. No, this is not the kind of thing that's going on. It is somewhat on the right track, though, as far as people who "know what's going on" and people who do not suspect anything. | ||
| Kyeannpepper (Kyeannpepper)
New member Username: Kyeannpepper Post Number: 798 Registered: 1-2012 |
A 'demonstration' of sorts? Like street safety? A magic trick of some sort? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3963 Registered: 1-2001 |
A 'demonstration' of sorts? Yes (see below) Like street safety? Not this... A magic trick of some sort? ...bingo! That's it. | ||
| Kyeannpepper (Kyeannpepper)
New member Username: Kyeannpepper Post Number: 800 Registered: 1-2012 |
Okay, so are the two men the magicians? Only one? If so: Knife one (can we call him Janus)? Wall one (can we call him Ceris)? Is the woman (can we call her Annabeth) one of the magicians? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3964 Registered: 1-2001 |
Okay, so are the two men the magicians? Only one? Well... If so: Knife one (can we call him Janus)? ...sure. Janus is the magician. Wall one (can we call him Ceris)? And yes, he's the assistant. Is the woman (can we call her Annabeth) one of the magicians? No | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 1539 Registered: 1-2011 |
Did Annabeth choose one thing among several things? If yes, was it a card? Was Annabeth aware of Ceris's presence behind the wall? Did Annabeth know she was taking part in a magic trick? Did the trick work out as it was planned? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3965 Registered: 1-2001 |
Did Annabeth choose one thing among several things? If yes, was it a card? Yes, Janus approached her and asked her to choose a card from a deck of cards Was Annabeth aware of Ceris's presence behind the wall? No Did Annabeth know she was taking part in a magic trick? Well she probably made this assumption, yes Did the trick work out as it was planned? Yes | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17179 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is Ceris' jumping up part of the trick? Is it an attempt (successful?) at misdirection? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17180 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the knife part of the trick? Is a pun on "cut the cards" relevant? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3967 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is Ceris' jumping up part of the trick? Yes Is it an attempt (successful?) at misdirection? No - misdirection is involved in this kind of trick, but not acted out by the person behind the wall Is the knife part of the trick? No, neither Annabeth nor any of the bystanders ever see the knife but it is related to the trick Is a pun on "cut the cards" relevant? No | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17187 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the actual selection of the card forced? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3969 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is the actual selection of the card forced? Yes | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 1542 Registered: 1-2011 |
Did Janus use the knife as a mirror to see the cards? Is the idea of the trick that Janus pull out the card, chosen by Annabeth, from the deck? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3970 Registered: 1-2001 |
Did Janus use the knife as a mirror to see the cards? No, the knife isn't seen by anyone during the trick, including Janus Is the idea of the trick that Janus pull out the card, chosen by Annabeth, from the deck? No | ||
| Kyeannpepper (Kyeannpepper)
New member Username: Kyeannpepper Post Number: 823 Registered: 1-2012 |
Was the knife used to reflect light somehow? Or was it used for its original purpose of cutting things? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3971 Registered: 1-2001 |
Was the knife used to reflect light somehow? No, but...was it used for its original purpose of cutting things? ...yes. | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3063 Registered: 2-2011 |
did he use the knife to cut a string or cord? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3972 Registered: 1-2001 |
did he use the knife to cut a string or cord? No - the knife's purpose isn't entirely critical to the solution, it simply helps explain part of the setup for the trick and serves as a red herring to exactly who Janus is. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17193 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the revealing of the card relevant? Is it revealed from the top of the deck? Bottom? Middle? Flipped in the deck? Somewhere not in the deck? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3973 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is the revealing of the card relevant? Yes Is it revealed from the top of the deck? Bottom? Middle? Flipped in the deck? None of these Somewhere not in the deck? Yes, at one point this is the case | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17195 Registered: 4-2010 |
Does Janus reveal the card? Does Ceris? Does Annabeth? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3974 Registered: 1-2001 |
Does Janus reveal the card? In a way (see next answer) Does Ceris? Yes, but indirectly (and no one besides Janus knows that Ceris is present) Does Annabeth? No | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3068 Registered: 2-2011 |
is the knife used to cut open an object? and the card is revealed? does he use the concealed knife to pop a balloon? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3979 Registered: 1-2001 |
is the knife used to cut open an object? No and the card is revealed? No, the card isn't revealed this way does he use the concealed knife to pop a balloon? No, the knife is neither seen or used during the trick | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3074 Registered: 2-2011 |
when Ceris pops up, does he move some object which is concealing the card? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17203 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are all people human? Or are any of them puppets/cardboard cutouts/other representations of a human? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3980 Registered: 1-2001 |
when Ceris pops up, does he move some object which is concealing the card? No, but this is a good topic to explore Are all people human? Yes Or are any of them puppets/cardboard cutouts/other representations of a human? No, all humans | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17208 Registered: 4-2010 |
When picking the card, does Annabeth remove it from the deck? Is the card removed from the deck at any other point during the course of the trick? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3983 Registered: 1-2001 |
When picking the card, does Annabeth remove it from the deck? Yes Is the card removed from the deck at any other point during the course of the trick? No | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17214 Registered: 4-2010 |
Does Annabeth return the card to the deck? Top? Bottom? Middle? A forced location? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3986 Registered: 1-2001 |
Does Annabeth return the card to the deck? Yes Top? Bottom? Middle? A forced location? She takes a card from the deck, shows it to all the bystanders (and the camera, if there is one), and then returns it to a random place in the deck | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3077 Registered: 2-2011 |
is Ceris instrumental in revealing the selected card? does he hold up a sign showing which card was picked? is he holding anything in his hand? apart from the puzzle statement, is there any relevance of the knife to the puzzle? has Janus previously used the knife for something relevant? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3987 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is Ceris instrumental in revealing the selected card? Yes does he hold up a sign showing which card was picked? No, but you're very close is he holding anything in his hand? At one point, yes apart from the puzzle statement, is there any relevance of the knife to the puzzle? Not really has Janus previously used the knife for something relevant? Yes, it is used in preparation for the trick but it is unlikely that Janus would carry it with him | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3082 Registered: 2-2011 |
was the knife used to prepare the thing that Ceris holds? does Ceris throw it? drop it? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3989 Registered: 1-2001 |
was the knife used to prepare the thing that Ceris holds? No does Ceris throw it? drop it? No to both | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17219 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is Ceris, at any point, holding the selected card? | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3085 Registered: 2-2011 |
sorry - I meant to say does Ceris throw or drop the object that he holds? does someone take it from him? is it knocked from his hand? | ||
| Gregoryuconn (Gregoryuconn)
New member Username: Gregoryuconn Post Number: 1920 Registered: 9-2010 |
Does Janus show Annabeth her card? Are all the cards the same? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3990 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is Ceris, at any point, holding the selected card? No sorry - I meant to say does Ceris throw or drop the object that he holds? does someone take it from him? is it knocked from his hand? None of these Does Janus show Annabeth her card? Strictly speaking no, but Annabeth believes that he does Are all the cards the same? No, not all of them | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17228 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the card taken from a standard 52-card deck? Are multiple decks used in the trick? In preparing for the trick? Does Janus show Annabeth a duplicate of her card? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3995 Registered: 1-2001 |
Is the card taken from a standard 52-card deck? Well, it's nearly standard. The deck does have 52 cards in it, but keep in mind what was mentioned about preparation for the trick Are multiple decks used in the trick? Not multiple decks, no (see below) In preparing for the trick? To a degree (see below) Does Janus show Annabeth a duplicate of her card? YES | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17230 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are all cards the same? Are multiple cards the same? Is the card Janus shows Annabeth a card that was never in the deck in the first place? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 3996 Registered: 1-2001 |
Are all cards the same? No...Are multiple cards the same? ...there is an identical card to one card in the deck that Janus holds Is the card Janus shows Annabeth a card that was never in the deck in the first place? Correct | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4018 Registered: 1-2001 |
HINT: Janus and Ceris work together for this trick. Ceris is never seen during the trick. The card that Annabeth sees at the end of the trick and believes is the card that she chose is actually a card that was never in the deck that Janus uses for the trick, it's a duplicate card. Without the action of Ceris which is described in the puzzle statement, the trick would not work. We'll end this one soon, one way or another, too many other live puzzles out there! | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3160 Registered: 2-2011 |
do the people scream jut because they didn't know Ceris was there? or is there something about his appearance which is shocking? or about something that he does? he doesn't imply hold the card up? is it embedded in something? inside something? a balloon? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4020 Registered: 1-2001 |
do the people scream jut because they didn't know Ceris was there? or is there something about his appearance which is shocking? The screams are not due to his appearance, because none of the observers know that he is present at any time before, during or after the trick or about something that he does? This is one possible reason for the screams, the other possible reason is a response to something that Janus does he doesn't simply hold the card up? No is it embedded in something? inside something? a balloon? The card does appear inside something, in a way, but not a balloon. This idea is somewhat OTRT though, because the card that she thinks is the one she chose does appear behind some kind of surface... | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3167 Registered: 2-2011 |
is Ceris wearing some sort of costume? does the card appear behind glass? plastic? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4021 Registered: 1-2001 |
is Ceris wearing some sort of costume? Not likely, he could be wearing just about anything, it wouldn't affect the trick does the card appear behind glass? YES plastic? No | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3171 Registered: 2-2011 |
is the glass in a window? is it a bowl? a photo frame? a drinking vessel? jug? bell jar? does the glass get broken? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4022 Registered: 1-2001 |
is the glass in a window? Yes is it a bowl? a photo frame? a drinking vessel? jug? bell jar? No to these does the glass get broken? No | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4039 Registered: 1-2001 |
All that's really left is to figure out what Janus and Ceris do to execute the trick - we know that Janus asks someone to pick a seemingly random card from a deck, although it's a forced choice; Ceris is hidden behind a wall, and at some point he jumps up and then crouches again so that none of the onlookers know that he is involved with the trick; Janus does something that may make the onlookers scream (or just gasp), and the chosen card (which is actually a duplicate) appears behind a window... | ||
| Kyeannpepper (Kyeannpepper)
New member Username: Kyeannpepper Post Number: 940 Registered: 1-2012 |
Does Ceris place the card behind the window? Causing the audience to scream/gasp in astonishment? | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4042 Registered: 1-2001 |
Does Ceris place the card behind the window? Yes...Causing the audience to scream/gasp in astonishment?...but it's not this that causes the gasping and/or screaming (keep in mind that they never know that Ceris is there). The gasping is partly because of the card appearing behind the window, but mostly because of what Janus does. | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4055 Registered: 1-2001 |
FINAL HINT: David Blaine has performed this trick on TV, and probably many other street magicians have done a variation of it if not the same trick. If no one knows exactly what the magician does for the climactic moment of the trick I'll provide the $poiler soon (and post part 3 of the Wieck puzzle trilogy) | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4059 Registered: 1-2001 |
SPOILER... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sevj2XlWmuI | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 249 Registered: 2-2012 |
Awesome! Especially that the card is in the window the whole time, and I bet 99% of the time, nobody will notice. But where does the knife come in? Anyway, it looks like it would take a lot of practice an skill to force a card that way. | ||
| Ixoye724 (Ixoye724)
New member Username: Ixoye724 Post Number: 4060 Registered: 1-2001 |
I could not find a video of David Blaine's trick, which is the one on which the puzzle is based. What Blaine does is, in preparation for the trick, he trims off a small portion of the force card using a knife. When he asks the volunteer to choose a card, he has them reach into the deck after telling him to "stop" shuffling the cards. When they say "stop," he simply cuts the deck where the shorter card is located and makes the person pick the short card (but since he's only trimmed off a small amount they do not notice the difference). And in Blaine's trick, the assistant does not put the card in the window until just before Blaine throws the cards at the window. The assistant stays crouched as Blaine chooses the volunteer and has them select a card, and as Blaine is telling the volunteer that he can't seem to find their card in the deck, the assistant quickly hops up, puts the card on the window, then goes back to his crouched position. |
