Effect : The magician is seen to write something down on a paper note pad and does not allow the spectator to see what he has written.  The magician announces that he is about to ask the spectator a question and because he can read his mind, already knows the answer that the spectator will reply back with. The spectator is then asked to think of a number between one and a hundred or a simple shape such as a triangle, square or rectangle and reveal this out loud. The note pad is then shown to find that the magician had written the same number or shape down on the note pad!

Method : Make a gimmick by taping a small piece of broken pencil lead to your thumb, ( Use clear adhesive tape such as Sello tape so that the spectator and audience will not see it and remember to keep the sticky side facing out ). Initially write nothing on the note pad, ( only appear to be writing something ) and when you hide the face of the note pad from the spectator, do so with your thumb facing the side of the paper that you had supposedly written something on ( See picture 3). When your victim says the number or shape that they have thought of, simply write it on the note pad with your thumb and then show it to them as your prediction.

This trick is really convincing but depends a great deal on the magicians performance. Try your hand at acting, look as if you are really concentrating and that the trick requires real mental effort on your part. This will reinforce the illusion that you really can read minds.