The Reign in Spain

It's crossword time! "Tennis, anyone?"

Wizardry and wordistry lovers!

In this newsletter:

• The Enigmatist Chicago on sale!

• The magic of Spain: Ascanio, Tamariz and DaOrtiz

• A brand new crossword! Tennis, anyone?

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The Enigmatist Chicago is now on sale!

Here we go! Tickets for magic in the Windy City are now available. Join me May 29th - June 30th for some enigmas and illusions at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. Tickets just went on sale yesterday to the general public. I’ll see you in Chi-Town for a puzzle party! Tickets here.

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The magic of Spain

I took a rather circuitous route to arrive at this newsletter’s theme. I was at the Indian Wells tennis tournament a couple of weeks ago and I was inspired to write a tennis-themed crossword (try it below!). As expected, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain was the most electrifying player of the tournament, ultimately winning the whole thing. So I thought, why not write a newsletter on the magic of Spain? ¡Disfrutad!

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Ascanio, Tamariz, and DaOrtiz

In the last half a century or so, Spain has become the epicenter of close-up card magic. One might argue that the man who started it all was Arturo de Ascanio. Born in 1929, Ascanio revolutionized the art form with his groundbreaking techniques and theoretical insights. (I use one of Ascanio’s sleight of hand moves almost daily in my favorite card trick.) Ascanio was a lawyer by trade, and never practiced magic professionally. He meticulously studied the works of legendary magicians such as Dai Vernon and Ed Marlo, folding their teachings into his own innovative approach. But despite his excellent technique, his most lasting influence was in the theory of illusion. His book "The Structural Conception of Magic" elucidates his theories on magic's underlying principles. Here he is appearing on the Juan Tamariz show:

And speaking of Juan Tamariz, this legend has earned the moniker of the “godfather of close-up card magic.” Born in 1942 in Madrid, the “maestro of misdirection,” is revered worldwide as the greatest living magician. Tamariz is so fun to watch. He performs with wit, charm and chaos all brewed into a cartoonish persona. He’s often wearing a purple top hat and vest. I’d dislike him for sporting the cliched magician’s costume if he weren’t so insanely good. He’s the best!

Like Ascanio, it’s his work on theory that has made Tamariz such a towering figure, influencing countless magicians from the next generation. His landmark book, The Magic Way, is a seminal work, offering profound insights into the psychology of deception and the art of astonishment. For me, Mnemonica is the Tamariz book that most influences my work today. It’s a treatise on memorization and card magic . . . I won’t say much more, but I use its contents all the time! Below is a great example of a Tamariz symphony of card magic. After you watch it, take a moment to untangle the knots in your brain.

The last magician I’d like to highlight is Dani DaOrtiz. This man is a whirlwind of disorder at the card table, but it’s all controlled! He uses randomness and unpredictability as tools for deception. It’s an absolute joy to watch him blur the lines between skill and spontaneity. I’ve seen Dani perform at the Magic Castle and he’s unbelievable in real life. Fortunately, this video on Penn & Teller: Fool Us captures everything you need to be utterly baffled. This routine is so good, Teller falls over in his chair!

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Another new Crossword! Tennis, anyone?

Here’s another original crossword — Thursday NYT difficulty. Play it now! And as always, please let me know what you think in the comments.

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Events

Interested in booking me for your next event? More info here on private parties, corporate speaking & performances and team-building puzzle hunts.

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Puzzle Hunt Playing Cards

Enigmas: Puzzle Hunt Playing Cards. Included within this unique deck are four very special puzzle cards. Solve them all to unlock an online Puzzle Hunt! Available here.

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