21. The 11¢ Slide
class: closer | impressiveness: 4/5 | factors: complicated execution, needs practice | requires: 3 pennies, 2 dimes | watch full episode
This is the perfect closer for a set of scams at the bar… It’s simple to set up, hard as hell to figure out, and most amazingly: it’s one of the rare puzzles that you can show the correct answer, yet still fool them.
The Setup: Place 2 dimes and 3 pennies in a line in this order: PENNY DIME PENNY DIME PENNY.
The Goal: Arrange the coins in a line, with all the pennies on one side and all the dimes on another.
The Rules: You can only move 2 coins at a time, and each time you make a move, you must move both a currently-touching penny and a dime (11 cents). Each time you let go of the coins, they must be along the same line as the original setup, and (of course) you can’t use any coins to push any other coins around.
The Twist: There are actually two ways to solve this puzzle, and you can even show one of the solutions to your mark… and they still won’t be able to reproduce it. This means you can set up the puzzle, let them give up, and then offer them a double-or-nothing chance to solve the puzzle, after you’ve given them the answer.
Don’t think this sounds too difficult? Go ahead and try it out.