O.K. So you have a section of a jigsaw puzzle done, not the whole thing. In the section that is done, there is a piece missing right in the middle. Put the remaining pieces in a bag. Have one selected and then do a Shuttle Pass to ring in the correct missing piece. Conversely you could have the spectator be a stooge and they have a piece palmed and bring that out of the bag. Finally, if you bought a number of sets of the same jigsaw puzzle at a sale or something, it could be possible with a change-bag or double-walled bag to force that piece. Here you'd only put maybe 5 pieces in the bag and then switch to the other side which has the 5 force pieces. If you had the matching pieces over on the side of the puzzle, where you could find them, you could dispense with the trick bag.

So, there is a trick not many are doing!

If I forgot to mention...the selected piece fits in the hole of the finished section of the puzzle.

I came up with about 5 methods for this jigsaw puzzle trick. One is slightly "off trail" and I'll try to explain it. This way would require that this is done in a formal show, and that you have an assistant. Not a stooge, just an assistant to hold the bag of pieces that haven't been used yet. Remember that only part of the puzzle is done, and that there is a missing piece right in the middle of that section. The other pieces are on the table.

Think 'platform show', not close-up show! So, you explain the situation and then the assistant gathers up the extra pieces into a cloth bag. The M.O. is that there is a small pocket on the inside of the cloth bag, on one side. The missing piece is in this pocket.

Next, the assistant shakes the bag convincingly to mix the loose pieces up. You the magician don a blindfold. You roll up your sleeves and reach into the bag and fish around, and then take the actual missing piece out of the pocket and then out of the bag at your fingertips and show it around.

Try to fit it in place. Turn it around different ways before you get the right alignment, then push it into place with a triumphant air. Your assistant can spill the loose pieces out of the bag onto the table off to the side and then leaves with the bag. This is so that if anyone wants to check after the show if the pieces are all different, they can. You can have an ungaffed bag made up, and by the end of the show your assistant can leave the ungaffed bag on the table by the end of the show.

This is the most practical way to go so that you can concentrate on your acting. Many of the great magic consultants feel that an occasional stooge is sometimes the best way to go. That is another method. The stooge would have the piece palmed and bring that out of the bag. A whole bag of duplicate pieces is another way, but not practical to make up the trick...you'd have buy many puzzles. Not practical. I have several other methods but they aren't that practical either.

One is to use a shuttle pass, like we use with coins, a David Roth modification of the Utility Move for 1 coin. Any spectator picks a piece out and you switch it with the shuttle-pass before pushing it into place. You had the piece palmed. Trouble is, the end of the routine is the wrong time to do the switch when the heat is on!

For Xmas, a puzzle with a picture of Santa or something would be a good trick in the middle of the show.

Another Xmas idea is to have, let's say, 5 gift wrapped present and 1 is the target. Either something valuable or yummy inside one of them. I think it should be the magician who can find it after the identical gifts are mixed. Maybe blindfolded. Not sure. This is the beginning of an idea. Like Bank Nite but Xmas oriented. Using gift wrapped boxes makes it have a Xmas orientation. I already have about 3 methods, but want to think about this a bit more.

Was thinking how Kreskin used to "find" his check which was hidden, for his last trick in a show. Come to think of it, how many of us have had to "find our check" at the end of a show? Ha Ha (not really). His used to be taped under one of the seats. One method he experimented with was a little blinking light on his keychain that blinked faster as he got closer. I know because I sold it to him when I worked at Tannen's. I don't know if he ever used this. There was a paper clip that was radioactive! The idea was to paper clip a little note "Not to foster belief in the supernatural-ESPecially Kreskin" to the check. (I was working at Tannen's and he came in the back way as per usual, but everyone was out at lunch except me, so I had to get the "item" for him) No, his way was more low-tech.

Anyway, I was thinking having the check in a group of gift wrapped presents and we have to find which one has our check inside. I don't have a method yet, just the premise. I'm thinking as "low tech" as possible. There are ways.

At a party show at any kind of "event" always involve the person (treasurer perhaps) who will pay you in the last trick of the night. Word.

A good idea for a Xmas show is to use a Xmas stocking as your bag of tricks. Possibly make one into a cross-body bag, so it hangs at your side.

I came up with an oddball presentation. Thinking about bottle tricks because I was playing with the Flip Stick Moves with a bottle, but realized a whole act of producing shot glasses of colored liquid, and bottles, and wine glass size glasses. In short, a bar act with a bar towell, those little paper umbrellas, bar napkins, a menu t hide things behind...the works. But. The presentation would be a revival of the Foster Brooks gag of acting drunk and tipsy. The opening line? "Good evening...I'm a (belch) alcoholic." Then proceed to produce shots and beers and bottles of wine etc.

P.s. maybe don't mention the "alcoholic thing". Let them figure it out, from producing and drinking drinks, and acting tipsy. Think-a-drink Hoffman ? Any drink called for. And you drink them all yourself.