THE DECODE PROJECT by MATT MELLO

While I appreciate your perspective, Maddy, I must respectfully disagree. It’s intriguing that you don’t perceive Train Tracking as a lengthy “50 questions” process, but that’s precisely what it entails. True mind reading should be instantaneous, like saying, “Think of something!” followed by an immediate revelation of that thought. Anything less can seem out of place.

A well-structured presentation for Train Tracking doesn’t negate the suspicion that arises from asking numerous questions. As Michael suggested, after performing Train Tracking, ask your audience, “For $100, can anyone guess how I did that?” I would wager that many will respond, “It must have been related to the 50 questions you asked.”

Is Train Tracking impressive? Absolutely. Is it the best word-guessing system available? I would argue yes. However, not everyone has the funds or the memory to master Train Tracking. This project offers a fantastic alternative for those individuals.

Regarding logical presentations, I introduce “Cipher” as a mental hangman game. I explain, “You will think of a secret word, and I will try to guess it by having you think of letters.” This approach mirrors the traditional hangman game, making it just as logical as your Train Tracking presentation.

If I wanted to vary my routine, I could seamlessly transition from “Vowel Hopping” or “Rowing” to “Cipher.” However, I prefer to teach the system as it is to ensure my spectators can easily follow along. It’s simpler than Train Tracking, and neither the spectator nor the performer needs to vocalize any letters, which I consider a significant advantage for propless word guessing.

From my experience with these techniques, I’ve successfully amazed many audiences. Although I never offered a $100 incentive for them to figure it out, try making that offer after Train Tracking and observe how often your audience responds with, “Real mind reading!”