I worked this out shortly after getting my copy of Mnemonica. When I shared it with Simon Aronson, he created a brilliant addition which makes for an even stronger effect. 

EFFECT

 First, the magician predicts a card. This can be a written prediction on a piece of paper, a card from another deck in your pocket, or any other prediction procedure you like.

Next, a spectator is asked to freely cut off a packet from the deck.  The cut off packet of cards is turned face up on the table, revealing the card the spectator cut to. A counting process is then performed starting at the place where the spectator freely cut, and starting with the value of whatever card he cut to.  This process is continued, to move through the deck to a final card, which turns out to match the prediction

THE KRUSKAL COUNTING PROCEDURE

            The Kruskal count or process was named for Rutgers mathematician Martin D. Kruskal. It was designed to be done with a shuffled deck, but this meant that it would not be successful 100% of the time.  By using the Aronson Stack with the appropriate prediction card, we can guarantee the success of our trick.

In the original Kruskal procedure all the face cards were valued at five.  In Mnemonica, Arenillas and Tamariz changed the procedure for the face cards. Instead of valuing them as five, they are spelled: K-I-N-G, Q-U-E-E-N, or J-A-C-K. Thus, for example, if a Jack appears, the spectator spells J-A-C-K, as four cards are dealt face up. This spelling change makes more sense for the face cards, and adds variation because not all face cards have the same number of letters.  In fact, my effect with the Aronson Stack will work with either the original or this new spelling process, but the original Kruskal procedure can leads to a disadvantageous situation which I will explain later. So, I use the spelling procedure with the face cards.

Let’s work through an example, just to illustrate the Kruskal counting procedure. With a deck in Aronson Stack order, let’s say when the spectator cuts off his packet and turns it face up, the card cut to is the Ten of Spades.  Since the card is a Ten, the spectator counts and deals (from the balance of the pack) ten cards face up onto the Ten of Spades, arriving at the Queen of Diamonds. Since a face card was reached, the spectator spells “Queen” (dealing five more cards, one for each letter) and arrives at the Queen of Hearts.  Since it’s another face card, the spelling process is repeated and “Queen” is spelled again, arriving at the Four of Diamonds.  Since this is a spot card, its value is used, so four cards are then dealt, which brings us to the Ten of Clubs.  Continuing this procedure through the deck we will arrive at the Four of Clubs, and then the Six of Diamonds. Since there are only three cards remaining, the count can go no further, and the Six of Diamonds becomes the “selected” card.

This counting procedure appears quite random, since the cards do not appear to be in any order and the starting point was determined by the spectator’s random cut.

WORKING

I discovered that, if the Aronson stack is given one cut, then the procedure will work all the time.  This allows us to create a strong prediction routine.

You need only do two things, and the trick is virtually self working. First, with the deck in Aronson stack order, you must cut the Five of Diamonds to the face before starting.  Second, the spectator’s initial cut must be restricted slightly: his cut must be within any of the top 24 cards.  Note that this is a broad range of permissible cuts, so the leeway is eminently practical.  In discussing this with Simon Aronson, he suggested the following patter to explain your limiting instruction: “This is a counting trick.  We’ll count down a random number, using whatever number you cut to.  So cut off less than half the deck so that we have some cards left in which to do the counting.”

Your prediction will be the Queen of Hearts.  Note that, once the Aronson stack has been cut as above, the Queen of Hearts will be the second card from the bottom of the deck.  You can of course predict the Queen of Hearts in any way you want.  For the past few days, I’ve been carrying a Queen of Hearts from another deck in one pocket so that I can do this trick. I simply pull the card out, with its back to the audience, and place it somewhere in view. It’s also fortunate that the Queen of Hearts is the card that works with the Aronson Stack, because this a card often named by laymen.

Just follow the procedure outlined above, spelling the court cards and counting the values of the others, and regardless of where the spectator makes his initial cut (among the top 24 cards) your path will always lead to the Queen of Hearts.

For completeness, at the end of this write-up is a chart showing the various paths taken for a cut from any of the top 24 cards, but you don’t need to memorize (or even know) these, since the trick works automatically.

COMMENTS

1. The trick will also work if the Queen of Hearts is cut to the bottom, but then the counting and spelling procedure will proceed to the very last card. I think it looks better to have one card left on the table.

2. If you use the original Kruskal count procedure of valuing the face cards as “5,” the trick will work. However, in some paths, you will arrive at the King of Spades, the Queen of Spades, the Jack of Spades, the Ace of Spades, and the Ten of Spades. This is because of one of the poker deals built into the Aronson Stack. This suggests a stack.  So, I prefer to avoid it by using the procedure of spelling the face cards worked out by Arenillas and Tamariz.

3. The initial cut can go quite a bit deeper. With one exception, all of the cards up to the Six of Clubs will work. That’s the top 33 cards of the deck once you’ve cut the Five of Diamonds to the face. However, there is one exception: it will not work with the 9 of Diamonds. I recommend using Simon Aronson’s patter given above, and if they do cut a little deep, have them turn the packet face up. If you see a card anywhere in the range of stack numbers from 28 to 51 or 1 to 8  you are fine. If, however, you see card 52 (Nine of Diamonds) you react by saying: “I think that’s a little deep, will you cut a few less cards?” Then you replace the packet and have the spectator cut again. This should seldom happen as Simon’s patter virtually ensures that the cut will fall into the totally safe area of the top 24 cards.

4. If you like to ‘Jazz’ with the Aronson stack, this trick makes an excellent addition to your arsenal. Since the Queen of Hearts is frequently named, just go into this trick when it is. You will have to cut the Five of Diamonds to the face, of course.  

5. If you are proficient at ‘Jazzin’ with the Aronson stack, you can eliminate any restrictions on the cut at all. If the cut falls in the safe area of the top 24 cards, you continue with this trick. You can even do so if they should cut into the eight card block immediately below the Nine of Diamonds. (Just remember that these are stack numbers one to eight.) But, if the cut falls on the Nine of Diamonds, or below the Six of clubs, you simply do not do this trick. Just revert to your normal ‘Jazzin’ procedures.

6. The reason that the Kruskal count works well with the Queen of Hearts as the target is that there are two cards which lead directly to the Queen (The Seven of Spades, and the Queen of Diamonds.) And, the paths which lead to those two cards are mutually exclusive. If you look on the chart at the path from the top card of the deck (the Seven of Clubs,) and the path from the second card from the top, you’ll see that they’re completely different. No cards appear in both of those paths.  Any card which begins a path which crosses either of those two paths will lead inexorably to the Queen of Hearts. Fortunately, with the Aronson stack, the next twenty two cards all do this.

7. In Mnemonica, Arenillas and Tamariz give their method for repeating the effect. This can easily be done with this version. After you complete the effect, replace the Queen of Hearts on the bottom of the deck. You can then repeat the entire routine, with the Five of Diamonds as your prediction. In fact, you can use any of the following cards which are near the bottom of the deck: Ace of Hearts, Eight of Spades, Three of Diamonds, Seven of Hearts, and Five of Diamonds. Just return the Queen of Hearts to the bottom of the deck, and slip the card of your choice from the above list to the fifty-first position, and you are set.  

THE ARONSON “SELECTION” VARIATION

            I told Simon Aronson about my discovery of how to do “Prediction a la Kruskal” with the Aronson stack. A couple of days later, he had worked out this brilliant variation. In Simon’s version, the Kruskal procedure will lead to a card previously selected by another spectator!

            Begin with the deck in Aronson Stack order. Spread the stacked deck for a selection and removal. The selection must come from the lower half of the deck. Actually, it must fall from the 28^th card to the 50^th card. This is not difficult. Simply begin spreading cards from left to right with your left thumb as you begin to ask the spectator to take a card. Move quickly, and by the time he can respond, you have passed the first 28 cards or so. Then, slow down and let them choose a card as it goes by. Don’t let them pick either the bottom card or the one adjacent to it.

            Have the spectator show the card to the other spectators, and as he does so, get a break between the 7H and the QH. Simon works with the 5D as a short card, so it’s easy in his case to catch a break one card up from his short card. He suggests that you may also want to pencil dot the Seven or Queen to facilitate this. You could put “punch” work into one of those cards as well.

            After the spectator has shown the card around, split the deck at the break to have the selection returned. Obtain a new break two cards down. This is very easy to sight count.

            Now double undercut to your break.  The 5D will become the face card of the deck, and the selection will be two cards above it. Now proceed with the Kruskal procedure outlined above, and your final card will be the selection! As Simon said: “This opens up the possibilities greatly.”

            When the effect concludes, you need only replace the selection in its proper position and your Aronson Stack is intact.

 DENNIS’ COMMENTS ON SIMON’S ADDITION

1. Here's an alternative procedure I worked out for the selection process: Begin by cutting the Five of Diamonds to the face. Have someone just touch any card they like as you thumb cards slowly into the right hand. (They must touch one of the top 23 cards.) Break the deck below the card they touch and tip up the cards in the right hand to show them their selection on the face. You do NOT square up those cards. As you replace the spread cards in your right hand onto the cards in your left, Hofzinser cull the chosen card. The way you’re holding the cards makes this quite easy. As you close the fan, slip the culled chosen card between the 7H and QH. (The next-to-the-bottom-card and the one above it.)  Now false shuffle and/or cut and you are ready to proceed with the Kruskal Count.

2. You can create a similar effect using a procedure from Mnemonica. Begin by forcing the Queen of Hearts from a different deck. Have the card tabled but not revealed until the end of the effect.

You could use a gaffed forcing deck, like a one-way deck, Svengali Deck, etc. Or, you can use a sleight of hand force. If your force is deceptive, you create about the same effect as with Simon’s addition.

3.  Here’s the chart, showing each of the possible paths: 

WRITTEN BY DENNIS LOOMIS 

On page 45 of the recently released English version of Mnemonica by Juan Tamariz, there’s a trick called: “Prediction a La Kruskal.” It was devised by Antonio Jose Arenillas specifically for Tamariz’ Mnemonica stack. I wondered whether a similar effect could be done with the Aronson Stack. After considerable investigation, I’m pleased to report that it can.

Copyright Simon Aronson 2014