Read the rest of the trick below if you don’t get how it works yet.
If you want, you can make a big show of “transmitting a psychic message” by staring at the assistant and holding your fingers against the side of your head.
You can also talk to your assistant again and come up with a different code for next time. For instance, ask them to say “Yes” for the fifth thing you point to.
If you’re trying to practice this and don’t understand it, stop and put both hands in front of you with the thumbs facing up. Clasp your hands together, then turn them so the thumbs are pointing down. This is the position you want to end up in after this step. Keep talking and looking at your audience while you do this, not at your hands.
Pull your hands apart to hold an audience member’s hands, and guide them in the “right” position. Clasp your hands together again in the fake position only you know. Wave your hands around while clasped, shout “Abracadabra” or other “magic words,” then spin around while changing the position of your hand.
Optionally, chant “magic words” while you do this.
Make a big deal of “finding the right spot” to convince your audience that this is difficult.
You can also think of this as standing on a clock face. Your toes are pointed at 10:30 or 11:00, and the audience is standing at 6:00.
