Spelling Trick

[soroban]

I found this fascinating card trick recently.
Obviously it has a mathematical basis.


Use any nine cards from a deck
Display them on the table in three face-up fans.

Ask a volunteer to name a card (out loud).
Casually move his card to the front on its fan.
Then gather the fans face down, with his fan on top.
(His card should be the third from the top.)

Suppose his card was the Jack of Hearts.

Deal the cards face down, one at a time,
. . one for each letter you recite.

Spell J-A-C-K, dealing four cards in a face-down pile.
Drop the other cards on top.

Pick up the packet and spell O-F (two cards, face down).
And drop the other cards on top.

Pick up the packet and spell H-E-A-R-T-S.
And drop the other cards on top.

Pick up the packet and say, "Here is the Magic."
Spell M-A-G-I-C.

On "C", turn over that card.
It will be the Jack of Hearts


You will be fascinated by this "magic"
. . until you discern the reasoning.

 

[soroban]

Secret


In case you haven't discovered the secret
\(\displaystyle \quad\) of the Spelling Trick, here it is.


The value of the card has at least 3 letters.
Its spelling places it third from the bottom.

Spelling "OF" moves it to fifth from the bottom
\(\displaystyle \quad\)(fifth from the top).

Spelling the suit (at least 5 letters)
\(\displaystyle \quad\)keeps it at fifth from the top.

Then spelling M-A-G-I-C leads us to the card.