The Effect
A spectator is given a group of differently coloured crayons.
You turn away and ask them to choose any one.
Without looking at the crayon, you hold it behind your back, apparently trying to sense its colour.
The crayon is returned to the group and you correctly name the colour.
What You’ll Need
🖍 Several Crayons
Use clearly different colours that are easy to identify.
🙋 One Spectator
More people can watch, but one person should make the selection.
Introduce the Experiment
Explain that you have been practising a new mind reading ability.
Hand the spectator several crayons and ask them to mix the colours.
Turn Away
Turn your back and place both hands behind you.
Ask the spectator to choose any crayon and place it into one hand.
Create the Secret Clue
Pretend to concentrate on the crayon and feel for a psychic impression.
Secretly scrape a tiny amount of wax with your thumbnail.
The small coloured mark remains beneath or on the edge of the nail.
Return the Crayon
Ask the spectator to take the crayon back and mix it with the others.
This removes the physical evidence from your hands.
Secretly Glimpse the Colour
Turn around and make a few natural gestures with your hands.
During the movement, take a quick glance at the coloured wax on your nail.
Do not stare directly at the thumb.
Reveal the Colour
Pause as though receiving the answer.
Name the chosen colour with confidence.
Let the spectator confirm that you are correct.
Why the Trick Works
The spectator knows you never turned around while holding the crayon.
The crayon is mixed back with the others before the reveal.
The tiny wax scraping provides a hidden visual clue that the audience does not know exists.
Presentation Tips
Use a playful mind reading story rather than claiming genuine psychic power.
Spend a few seconds apparently concentrating before asking for the crayon back.
Make the glimpse happen during a natural gesture.
Reveal the colour slowly to build suspense.
🎩 Magic Tip
Instead of naming the colour immediately, describe it gradually: “I’m getting something bright… warm… I think it’s red.”
Common Mistakes
Do not scrape away enough wax to damage the crayon noticeably.
Avoid looking directly at the thumbnail for too long.
Use crayons with strongly different colours.
Keep the hand movements relaxed and natural.
Clean the wax from the nail before repeating the trick with another colour.
Practice Plan
Practise creating a tiny wax mark without looking at the crayon.
Rehearse the hand gesture used to glimpse the colour.
Try identifying several crayon colours from small wax marks in different lighting.
Add the presentation only after the secret actions feel automatic.