I've been working on Questionable Trick from Gregory Wilson's On the Spot DVD as it seems to be an impromptu alternative to scotch and soda that meets my tastes.

I'm finding that Wilson's patter starting with the trick question/riddle seems to baffle the spectator. I like a little verbal misdirection to cover a sleight and to embrace participation, but if someone doesn't figure out the riddle, even with a soft presentation, I've found that he or she gets a little disengaged from the routine. I've performed it 6 times and no one has figured out the riddle and the routine seems to lose momentum and I, their attention to a small degree.

So I'm trying to figure a different way to open the effect with language that makes more sense and provides some verbal misdirection to cover the switch, rather than asking a trick question then saying I'm going to perform a questionable trick.

Before I dig in (again) and try to figure out new language, does anyone use a different routine premise/patter, an altered intro, or anything else that works well with this effect? I like the handling and the rest of the routine; I just have a hitch with the intro.

Thanks in advance.