THE MAGIC NINE
Make the figure 9 with a long tail with matches ([Fig. 9]) and tell a member of the company to think of a number, which must exceed the number of matches in the tail; and, commencing at the first match in the latter, count mentally round the figure, stop when he reaches the number thought of, and then, recommencing at the match he stopped at, count the reverse way, this time avoiding the tail, and continuing on the upper part of the 9 until he again reaches the number he selected, when you will point to the match he has stopped at. This you can do very easily, for if there are seven matches in the tail he will, of course, stop at the seventh match on the left from the tail, as will be seen by the numbering on the diagram, which assumes he thought of fifteen. Each time the puzzle is tried vary the length of the tail by taking some matches out of the latter and adding them to the upper part of the figure, or vice versa. If this is not done the 61 stop will always be made at the same match, which will give the trick away.
Fig. 9.