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Sleightly Unhinged's Review - 29/05/2025

Sleightly Unhinged

Ahoy, tricksters and tea-sippers,

Welcome to the latest edition of The Unhinged Grimoire, where we dissect magic videos with the precision of a surgeon who’s had three espressos and a minor existential crisis. Buckle up.

TL;DR

This week: Sleight-of-hand wisdom from David Williamson, a license plate prediction that’s bonkers, a bottle that swallows coins whole, and psychics roasting each other like it’s Celebrity Bake-Off. Plus, a card trick that uses Scrabble because why not?

Videos Reviewed

🎥 David Williamson’s “Don’t Square a Squared Deck!”
Summary: A masterclass in efficiency. Williamson argues that squaring an already squared deck is the magical equivalent of double-tying your shoelaces—pointless and suspicious. Economy of motion, baby.
The Unhinged Take: Of course the man has a PhD in Deck Maintenance. Next he’ll tell us breathing is overrated. Still, if you’ve ever fumbled a shuffle like a toddler with a Rubik’s Cube, this’ll save your bacon.
Details here → David Williamson’s video

🎥 License Plate Prediction by Ideaa Lab
Summary: A car-themed prediction trick where a license plate number is divined. Craig Petty’s involvement suggests it’s less “car boot sale” and more “corporate gig gold.”
The Unhinged Take: If you’ve ever wanted to make a spectator’s Volvo speak prophecy, this is your jam. High-impact, low-sleight—like a drive-thru espresso for magic.
Details here → License Plate Prediction

🎥 Bottle Pocket Gentlemen’s Magic
Summary: A coin penetration trick with a bottle that’s examinable, audible, and sleeker than a penguin in a tuxedo.
The Unhinged Take: The sound effect alone is worth it—like a coin shouting “Bingo!” as it vanishes. Perfect for close-up work or when you need to silence a noisy audience member.
Details here → Bottle Pocket

🎥 Jay Sankey’s Memory Card Trick
Summary: A gimmick-free routine using four Jacks and a color-changing deck. Psychological misdirection > fancy moves.
The Unhinged Take: Sankey’s a sly fox. This trick’s a “monster effect” because it’s all in the pacing—like a card version of Jaws. The “wrist kill” move sounds sinister but it’s just showbiz.
Details here → Memory Card Trick

🎥 Flix by Nikolas Mavresis
Summary: A cinematic card trick where a spectator’s chosen “movie” card wins a theater showdown. No memory work, no forces—just clean, cheeky magic.
The Unhinged Take: If Cinema Paradiso and Now You See Me had a baby, this’d be it. The eliminations are tense enough to make Saw blush.
Details here → Flix

🎥 Fake Psychics Call Each Other Out
Summary: A scathing takedown of fake psychics using cold-reading critiques and sarcasm sharper than a shiv.
The Unhinged Take: PigCake’s the anti-guru we deserve. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at “spiritual consultants,” this’ll make you cackle. Spoiler: It’s all magic tricks. Buy one at Penguin for £15.99.
Details here → Fake Psychics

🎥 Craig & Ryland’s Review Show
Summary: A brutally honest breakdown of four products, including the Cupcake 2.0 (a chop cup/coin hybrid) and a thread phone that teleports coins.
The Unhinged Take: Craig’s 100% rating for Cupcake 2.0 is pure joy. Leap+? Overpriced for a “single moment.” Verdict: Buy the Cupcake, skip the Leap+.
Details here → Review Show

🎥 Vocabulum by Chris Wardle
Summary: A Scrabble-themed mentalism trick where a word is predicted via a packet of cards.
The Unhinged Take: For the word-nerd magician. It’s like Scrabble meets The Prestige. The reveal’s not examinable, but if you can’t be bothered to fake-read a dictionary, why are you here?
Details here → Vocabulum

🎥 Card Cheats Shuffle Tutorial
Summary: A Pharaoh shuffle control to place a card at any number. Math + muscle = magic.
The Unhinged Take: For when you want to feel like a Vegas cardsharp without the felony. Practice until it’s smoother than your ex’s new partner.
Details here → Card Cheats Shuffle

🎥 Spell a Spectator’s Card
Summary: A self-working trick where a card is found by spelling its name.
The Unhinged Take: The slide-and-flip move is bold as brass. Perfect for beginners or veterans needing a “no-brainer” closer.
Details here → Spell a Card

Other videos I didn’t have space for

Farewell

Did you know the first recorded magic trick was a cup-and-ball game in ancient Egypt? Turns out, we’ve been bamboozling each other for 4,000 years. Next time you fumble a pass, remember: even pharaohs dropped coins.

Till next time, keep the deck shuffled and the lies flowing.
— Sleightly Unhinged