Greeting

Alright, you lot, gather 'round the flickering screen like it’s a campfire and I’m your slightly tipsy uncle with a deck of cards up his sleeve. Let’s dive into this week’s magical mishmash—where we laugh, we learn, and we occasionally question life choices that led us to perform card tricks for strangers on the Tube.

TL;DR

This week: Craig Petty dissects Bond Lee’s The Grid System (spoiler: it’s not Sudoku), Reid Ferry serves up a self-working card trick that’s too easy, Jake Keane’s NOT.ESP promises to make you a mind-reading cult leader, and math nerds rejoice with a trick that’s all numbers and zero sleight. Plus, forcing techniques from the 1930s, a Q&A with Craig Petty (featuring coin magic and restaurant gigs), and a marked deck review that’s part art critique, part spy gear analysis.

Videos Reviewed

🎩✨ The Grid System by Bond Lee | Review Show Special (magic-tv)
Craig Petty and his son Ryland dissect Bond Lee’s The Grid System in this Magic TV review. They likely discuss its practicality across performance settings, reset time, and whether it’s worth the investment for working magicians.

The Unhinged Take: Craig’s reviews are like a good martini—dry, sharp, and with just enough olive to keep things interesting. If he and Ryland are raving about The Grid System’s reset time and angle tolerance, it’s probably worth a gander. But if they raise an eyebrow at its sensitivity to sneaky spectators, maybe keep your escape plan handy.

Details here → The Grid System by Bond Lee | Review Show Special

🎩✨ RIDICULOUS SELF-WORKING Card Trick! (REVEALED) (ReidFerry)
Reid Ferry teaches a trick so simple, it’s basically cheating. No sleight of hand—just psychological nuance and presentation tips to make it feel like mind reading.

The Unhinged Take: If you’ve ever muttered, “I wish magic was just… easier,” this trick’s your new best mate. Reid’s breakdown sounds like a masterclass in “how to look like a genius while doing the bare minimum.” Perfect for when you’ve had two pints and still need to fool your mates.

Details here → RIDICULOUS SELF-WORKING Card Trick! (REVEALED)

🎩✨ Deceptive. Deadly. Direct. | NOT.ESP by Jake Keane | full performance (MurphysMagicSupplies)
Jake Keane’s NOT.ESP lets you “read” a spectator’s mind using nothing but air-drawing and cheeky confidence. No props, no gimmicks—just psychological warfare.

The Unhinged Take: This is the magical equivalent of walking into a pub and ordering a drink without speaking—NOT.ESP demands swagger. If Jake claims it could “create cults,” I believe him. Just don’t blame me when your mates start leaving offerings of Bicycle decks at your doorstep.

Details here → NOT.ESP by Jake Keane

🎩✨ Insane Math Trick With Any Deck Of Cards! (AMillionCardTricks)
A math-based trick that’s beginner-friendly, uses any deck, and includes a color-change climax. Because apparently, numbers can be flashy too.

The Unhinged Take: If you’re a fan of “set it and forget it” magic, this is your jam. It’s like a Choose Your Own Adventure book where every path ends in gasps. Just don’t let the math scare you—this isn’t quantum magic, after all.

Details here → Insane Math Trick With Any Deck Of Cards!

🎩✨ How to Force a Card (magicorthodoxy)
A deep dive into Theodore Annemann’s classic forcing techniques—from riffle to cross-cut, with tips on making spectators feel like they’re in control (they’re not).

The Unhinged Take: Forcing is the art of whispering, “No, you pick this card,” while sounding innocent. This tutorial’s a crash course in manipulation—perfect for when you want to feel like a puppeteer without the creepy vibe.

Details here → How to Force a Card

🎩✨ Charging Restaurants, Key Cutter Release, Coin Books & More! | Q&A With Craig Petty (magic-tv)
Craig Petty answers questions on pricing gigs, coin magic, and upcoming tools like the Key Cutter. Also: book recs for insomniacs.

The Unhinged Take: Craig’s Q&A is like a pint down the pub with a seasoned pro. You’ll learn how to price yourself without sounding greedy, plus tips for making coins clink like a slot machine jackpot. Bring a notebook—and maybe a tip jar.

Details here → Charging Restaurants, Key Cutter Release...

🎩✨ Marked Cards Review - Rose Ellites - Old Masters (magicorthodoxy)
A review of the Rose Ellites marked deck, focusing on design, usability, and whether the markings are subtle enough to avoid a “how’d you do that?” glare.

The Unhinged Take: Marked decks are magic’s dirty little secret, and this review’s the equivalent of peeking behind the curtain. If the Old Masters series looks pretty enough to frame but still screams “I’M A TOOL,” it might just be worth it. Just don’t drop it in a real poker game.

Details here → Marked Cards Review - Rose Ellites

Farewell

If you’ve ever doubted the power of a well-timed force, remember this: the best magic isn’t in your hands—it’s in your ability to make the spectator think it’s in theirs. Also, if anyone tries to pay you in exposure, politely offer to saw them in half. For free.

Until next time,
Sleightly Unhinged