The Deliverance by Matthew Wright and Harry Robson

The Deliverance is a gimmick that lets you do the classic signed card in a sealed box thing. It sounds straightforward, but it's one of those tricks that leaves people scratching their heads. Probably has something to do with the fact they think you're some kind of wizard.

Here's the gist: you pull out a deck, spread the cards to show they're not all aces, and let someone pick one. They sign it, and you stick it back in the middle of the deck with a bit poking out so no one thinks you're up to no good. Slide the whole shebang back into the box.

The box is wrapped in plastic on all sides but the top. You shut the flap, slap on a sticker, and have them autograph that too for good measure. The box stays in plain sight, and somehow, you still end up pulling their card from somewhere unexpected. Why it fools them so consistently is a bit of a mystery to me too, but there you have it.

If you're in the mood for theatrics, you can toss the sealed box in a paper bag and Gaffa tape the whole lot. Yet, you'll still manage to extract the card when you fancy. Feels a bit like you're cheating, but that's magic for you.

No need for palming or any fancy sleight of hand. Just a bit of practice and you're set. You can work this trick up close, in a parlour, or on a stage. Matthew Wright and Harry Robson have put together a 90-minute video explaining it all. I'd recommend watching it unless you're fond of winging it.

Whether you're the type who wears a jacket or prefers the jeans-and-t-shirt vibe, there's a version here for you. Not into palming or deck switches? They've thought of that too. It's almost like they knew you'd be reading this.

And yes, it comes in red or blue Bicycle cards if you're picky about that sort of thing.

The Deliverance is a neat way to pull off some head-scratching card tricks. Give it a go if you like seeing puzzled faces.