When using abbreviations please use the proper term at least once first. I've seen "cp" meant for everything from coin palm, coin pass, card pass ect. there's even a post that basically says I was cp'ing and my boss came over and cp'ed so we both cp'ed come on. I understand everyone likes to feel they can talk the talk but maybe not in the beginner section. Thanks Don.

Don, I'm afraid you're not going to be able to break people of their abbreviations. People don't use those cryptic abbreviations to save keystrokes, or to show they can talk the talk. They do it to keep their posts from showing up in a Google search when somebody is searching for information on how that fellow on "America's Got Talent" or that gal on "Penn & Teller Fool Us" did that trick. (Also, you missed "Classic Palm" and "Classic Pass." Although I took the work reference to mean "Cuddle party" and assumed that Soumyajit had given his boss a big hug!)

Good point I get it. but layman watching Penn and Teller don't know what a pass is called to look it up on google. I too didn't want to give anything away. Thanks Doug for telling me that. Don.

It really depends on where the post is placed. Cp in coins has a pretty universal meaning.

I was only referring to the new to magic section. yeah cp in coins is pretty obvious. Thanks Don.

Don, you make an interesting point -- often the terminology that we're hiding with abbreviations is something that laymen wouldn't think to search. Still, the abundance of caution you see is really for the layman who follows a link to this site and starts looking around. I've found that when an abbreviation is too baffling, a private message to the poster will often lead to a private translation. Protecting secrets is part of the culture, and is for the benefit of the audience as much as for the magician. Many jaw-dropping wonders, when explained, merit the response, "Is that all?" The mystery is part of the enjoyment.

As the original post mentions my post, I feel invited to join in on the discussion Yes abbreviations mean different things in different sections and I posted this message in this section as I am new to magic. Also there are a lot of moves in magic that are self explanatory so the best way to protect the info from laymen is to use abbreviations (as Doug has so graciously pointed out). Great thing is if someone is actually interested about magic, they can read around the forum and get the required information.

As Doug has also pointed out, a message to the poster will get you the required information as well. Magic Café has no dearth of helpful members Doug himself being one. Andy is also very helpful if you are looking for particulars.

Thanks,
Soumyajit

I'll admit that sometimes when I'm r**d*ng a p*st with a lot of ab***via***ns, I find it dist**ct*ng and even con*us*ng. Some of us may ov*rdo it.

Hahahaha, that is so true Doug. Ho*ev*r, I have n*v*r seen an*one* do it as fa*cif*l as you have done here

Yikes.

Yeah, I'm sometimes mystified by the partially redacted terms, and sometimes mystified by why people think they are necessary.

Googling the incredibly common term "double lift" reveals a ton of YouTube tutorials directly on it. The only Café reference is a thread from Workers forum from 2007, which doesn't describe method at all (but uses "double lift" in the thread title). So, I'm not terribly concerned. If anyone searches for these terms, they are going to get explicit YouTube instructions long before they run across a Café reference, which wouldn't describe methods anyway. So, is this a solution in search of a problem?

Since I'm also a beginner and pretty new to all, it is hard for me to understand all these abbreviations...I already know what DL stands for but I also found abbreviations like TC, SD etc. in this forum which is hard to find out what it really means. In Mark Wilson's "Complete Course in Magic" one can find such a good introduction on card defintions and specific vocabulary, but so far I didn't see anything like TC, SD etc.. So, is there any place to find something like a translation or an overview of such abbreviations?
Thanks for your help!

I think many can be worked out from context (are they an abbreviated book title, like MWCCM, or a move, like DL, or a gaff/device like MD). Many times people also star our some letters, like: th*ck c*rd.

I'd be happy to offer a translation of those I know, but I'm not sure such an action would be OK here.

You are right, it might be not the best idea to post a complete translation here...
I think I will try just asking for 'star out' answers or figure out things from context.
Thanx.

Sending a private message to the poster is sometimes an effective way to get a translation.

...yeah, I got it! Thanx!