On Nov 17 the NEW and IMPROVED version of the original Al Mann Lexicon Phenomena will be released. This has taken over 3 years of work to properly develop. This is not a re-release of the original effect. Instead this is a new and streamlined system that doesn't involve you having to jot down numbers. The old 4 number code has been eliminated! A new system that is almost self-working has been devised. I shared some of these ideas with Mann before he died and told him some day I'll get it all together. Well after all these years it is ready and being released.

No more difficult words that spectators have trouble pronouncing. No simple words like "kid" (found in the original trick)that have no business being in a real vocab book.

The little booklet Al supplied has been expanded to a REAL bonde-fide vocabulary book containing 56 pages and looks like any vocab book you may buy in a book store.

The vocab book is ungimmicked and can be read from cover to cover. Unlike the Al Mann version, there are no duplicate words in the vocab list. It looks more impressive because it is a real vocab book that contains hundreds of words (any which can be freely selected) and not a little booklet.

The Vocab words are printed in a large bold type so they are easy to read. Those who had the original Mann effect, knew it was often hard for people to read the words. They were all crammed together.

With this new system you barely have to even look at the spectators while they choose words. The old 4 corner system has been eliminated and something MORE surefire has been developed. NO LONGER do you need to have a person put a ruler or point to word (as often the case with the older version). IN my version the word can appear ANYWHERE on the dictionary page, not one of the corners. Think about that.

The use of 5 different notebooks in the pocket has been eliminated. You don't need a notebook. You only have in your hand a few pieces of card stock that are SHOWN TO BE BLANK on all sides. You write the two thought of words on the cardboard and place them in full view. Yes it's that clean. NO FUMBLING to look for cue lists, etc. All that has been eliminated with this new method. They can burn your every move and see nothing out of the ordinary. Yet using this system, the two thought of words are delivered to you almost automatically WITHOUT YOU HAVING to write down numbers or remember things. READ that again. This system gives you the words almost automatically while you are in FULL view away from all brief cases or tables. There is little clue as to how you divine the words and so quickly.

Remember at NO time do you fish or ask questions. The two participants NEVER say anything until you have revealed the words and they can then confirm you are correct. For those not familiar with the effect, this is from the ad.

Effect: Two participants secretly choose words from a “real vocabulary book” containing hundreds of words. There are no duplicate words in the book’s word list. The two participants then look up their respective words in an ungimmicked dictionary. The performer, who can be 15 feet away, divines both words. He does this without touching either book or asking any questions. The performer REALLY does not know what words or page the participants have chosen until he reveals the two chosen words. The participants need not write anything. The participants say nothing. They DO NOT point to the word, underline it or circle it. Each person need only read the definition of his or her selected word and think.

This is not the first word on the page effect. The spectators do not use any mathematics to arrive at their words. They simply open the vocabulary book to any page and freely choose two words from anywhere on the page. No forces of any kind are used. Both the 56-page vocabulary book and the dictionary are ungimmicked from cover to cover.

There are no stooges or instant stooges. No pre-show work of any kind is used. The effect is a one-man effect that can be instantly repeated using different words. The spectators can examine both books and nothing will be amiss.
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As impossible as this may sound, THIS IS THE TRUE EFFECT as seen by the audience.There is no dual reality. What the audience sees is the exact thing the participants see. The participants have NO clue as to how you do this. Nothing else is used outside of the two books and a few pieces of card stock, and the marker to write the words with. Nothing is hidden on the body. NO FISHING OR ANAGRAMS OF ANY KIND.

One of THE CLOSEST THINGS to REAL mindreading that you will ever see. Thanks Al for inspiring me to create this new system.

Devin Knight

It's worth noting that when Al Mann first sent the ad for Lexicon Phenomenon to the Linking Ring for publication, they refused to accept it on the grounds that it was too impossible. Only on learning the method did they allow the ad to appear.

Hi Devin,

It sounds like you've nearly re-made the entire effect I'll be waiting for the release.

Regards, Steve

I have re-made the entire effect. As great as the original trick is, this is an improvement. I've shown it to a few close mentalist friends who have the original trick and they all agree this is a drastic improvement over the original. So streamlined with no chance of failure. The whole number system that Al developed has been condensed to something more streamline. You don't have to figure out the old 4 digit code. THERE IS NO 4 Digit code anymore. The code has been reduced to something as simple as 2L. I'm not tipping the method but that 2L would tell you what two words are being thought of. Yet the participants can choose from hundreds of words in a REAL 56 page vocabulary book.

The book technically is ungimmicked but was specially written over the course of 3 years to incorporate the new system. Anyone reading the book would have no clue as to how it can transmit the merely thought of words.

You guys will be tickled pink when you see how this new system works. The improvement is that rather than have JUST the dictionary transmit all the information; the act of freely choosing words (with no restrictions) in the vocab book gives you vital information and all you need is a simple two digit cue to know both words. Those who know the original Mann trick will understand what I am saying. If you don't know how the original trick worked then what I just said will be jibberish.

This new system will puzzle and probably fool many mentalists who have the original effect. Those who have seen the book draft have all said it must have taken thousands of hours to work this out. It did!

Devin

I just wanted to say I just heard from my good friend Mel Strouse. He had the tedious job of looking up EVERY word in the vocab book and making sure the visual cues matched up. It took him almost a week and he said this was the most tedious and boring task he had ever done. The good news is that every word was correct and every visual code works. The printer has the vocab book ready to print but was waiting for the final say from me that everything was correct.

Mel told me that if the week he spent looking up all the words (to make sure the trick was 100% foolproof) was this tedious he couldn't understand how I had the patiences to work out this for all the words. It was tedious and the hardest project I've ever done. It had to be done many times over and over to ensure the right words were put in the book.

This has been a labor of love. Even if I sell all 300 copies of the book the remuneration will be pale in compassion to all the hours put in over the last three years.

Devin

Devin, do you have an approx release date for this effect?

This will be on the Market and start shipping Nov. 17. If I'm lucky I will have a few to take to Mindvention. My printer is trying to meet a deadline so I can have some for Vegas on the Nov 11. If not, they will be available for me to pick up after I return from Mindvention.

Let me stress, this project is finished. The vocab book is at the printers even as I type this.

More information is available here:
http://tilfordillusions.com/AlMannLexicon.html

That means you guys WILL have this available to blow people away during your holiday shows. That was my goal and I am happy to say I met the goal.

As a fan of the original, I look forward to this with great interest.

I, too, am looking forward to this. Devin is about as clever as they come and I'm sure the method will provide more proof of that.

Regards, Steve

The names on the pre-sale list is beginning to look like a whose who in magic. I'm delighted that so many professionals are hopefully going to be adding this to their acts. Thanks guys for you support.

I wanted to mention that this trick can be done LONG DISTANCE for a TV talk show. You don't even need to be there. You send the host the vocab book and dictionary via mail. On the LIVE TV show they call you and put you on a speaker phone. You can be thousands of miles away.

The host secretly thinks of words from the book and reads the definitions to himself in front of the cameras. Without you fishing or asking questions you correctly reveal the words he is thinking of.

Imagine the publicity possibilities. How to do this is fully explained in the directions. As impossible as this may sound, this effect will let you do this easily!

Devin

I am right on schedule. The books are being picked up from the book publisher tomorrow. I will have some of these available at MindVention next week. The effect will debut to the magic world at MindVention.

Devin

Hi All,

I just received the "Improved Lexicon Phenomena" from Devin and have to say it is a killer! Imagine two specs are asked to freely choose (no force) two words from among 400 words (no repeats) in a self-improvement-style vocabulary book. Each spec is asked to look up their chosen word in a dictionary and to "silently" concentrate on the word and its definition. Without anything written down and without any questions, you know their words and make your revelation to the audience. Direct and elegant.

The vocabulary book is professionally produced and looks like a book you would find in the "self-improvement" section of a bookstore. In fact, you can actually use it to improve your own vocabulary. Most of the vocabulary words are not typical in everyday conversation (e.g., ardent) and, therefore, makes perfect sense when the specs are asked to look up the definitions in the (provided and ungimmicked) dictionary.

Devin's instructions and explanations are clear and easy to understand and the coding used is simple to learn. In fact, you could probably take this out for a real-world spin within a few days after you receive it. Note: do not interpret the previous sentence to mean, "I don't need to practice." Devin offers some "audience selection" suggestions, handling tips, and sample patter to illustrate how the routine would flow as well. He also explains how this could be performed during a live television show with you at home and the specs at the television studio!

I'm confident I will get a great deal of mileage from this and I believe you will, too.

Regards, Steve