What if someone looks you straight in the eye and says, I can guess what your cellphone PIN code is.
What would you do?
I’ll bet there’s that second when your code momentarily flashes in your mind, and you try to see how easy it is to crack.
It’s not your birthday nor your anniversary. So you tell yourself there’s no way he can figure out the specific 6-digit combination that unlocks your phone.
Or can he?
If he’s a mentalist, he knows at least three different ways to get your cellphone PIN Code.
And, if you read through this article, you can, too.
This is because, here, we’re going to show you the 3 easy ways to guess someone’s cellphone PIN code with mentalism.
Let’s get straight into it!
Method #1: Take Advantage of Technology
Most people these days have a smartphone — and this is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate a great mentalism trick. Tell your spectator you’re going to guess their phone’s PIN code.
How to begin
How you want to start this is up to you. If your spectator is someone you’d like to get to know, it’s a great way to strike up a conversation. If he’s a friend, you can make it into a bet (which you’re sure to win).
Begin by borrowing your spectator’s phone to make sure it’s locked. It’s an excellent way to see how many digits the pin code has, which is vital to your final guess later on.
Now, most smartphones have a shortcut to the calculator, even if it’s locked. If you’re familiar with the phone model, you can access it, but it’s typically better to ask your spectator to do it. It gives the illusion that he is in control.
How to do it
- Once the calculator is open, hand your spectator the phone and ask him to type in a random number.
You can make your instructions more specific by putting parameters — have him type in a 5-digit number or something with 7-digits. In reality, though, a random number works just as well.
- Once the number’s there, have him multiply it by his PIN.
Make sure you don’t see it. You can turn around and only turn back to your spectator when his new number is on the screen.
- Have him hand the phone back to you — say that you need to sense what the code is. Draw his attention to the number on the screen and say it’s virtually impossible to deduce what numbers led to this.
- As you’re making small talk, subtly turn the screen away from your spectator and press 1 followed by the equals sign. It shows the last number he typed in, which was his PIN code. (Note: some phones’ calculators may have the option to “see history” instead of typing in “1=”).
At this moment, knowing how many digits the code has becomes vital. There are times when you’re expecting six digits to appear, but you only see five numbers — it means the first number is zero. If only four numbers appear and you know it’s a 6-digit combination, the code begins with 00.
Time for the reveal!
For most spectators, telling them the actual code is enough to get an amazing reaction. If your spectator is a friend — or someone you know won’t mind a little flair — you can even punch in his PIN code and return his phone unlocked.
Method #2: Using a Tear Technique
Another option is to go the more traditional route — no calculators this time.
How to Begin
For this trick, all you need is a piece of paper and a pencil. Your sheet should be thick enough that their writing can’t be seen through, but not so thick that it’ll be challenging to fold and tear.
Some people draw a circle in the middle, others a square — be creative! The objective is to get your spectator to write his code in the center. If you can build a story into it, like having him pretend the paper is a screen, it even puts context into why you drew something in the first place.
How to do it
- One way to start is to hand your spectator a piece of paper that’s already creased.
You can prepare this in advance, stick it in your pocket, and bring it out when you’re about to do your trick. It gives the impression that you’re just fishing in your pocket for a piece of paper to use.
It also subconsciously tells your spectator how he should fold it once you ask him to do so. It happens right after he writes down his code.
- Take the folded piece of paper and start tearing it into smaller pieces. The trick is to rip off bits and pieces but keep the center intact.
- Now when the only part left is the center, take a peek at the number.
There are several ways to do this.
- The peek and tear. The most direct approach is to do it while the last piece is in your hands. Before you hand all the ripped-up pieces to your spectator, tear the part containing the code. This way, even if he goes through the bits, he’ll see that some have his writing on them.
- Bank on trust. If you think your spectator won’t rifle through the torn pieces, you can hand him these and palm the center tear. You can do your peek while your hand is underneath the table or from a position that shields it from his view.
- Throw ashes in the wind. This method utilizes drama as an excellent form of misdirection.
You can make an entire narrative about how his PIN code is a secret, and no one should know what it is — so burning it is the perfect solution!
Then ask your spectator to help you look for matches or a lighter. It gives you enough time to peek at the information without anyone noticing. The best part is, once done, you’ve also burned any evidence away.
The Reveal
Regardless of which direction you take, the end goal is the same — get a look at that center piece. Once you’ve seen the PIN code, all that’s left is for you to reveal it.
Method #3: Perform a Peek
This method requires the most moves, but it’s also guaranteed to get the best reaction if you do it right. You’ll be using cards, so you already know sleight of hand is required.
How to do it
- Begin by asking your spectator to write down his PIN code on a blank card.
You can use blank business cards for this, but having double blank playing cards works best.
If you don’t have either of those and you don’t mind using a pack of ordinary playing cards, you can have them write their code on one.
- Spread the deck and have your spectator insert her card wherever she wants — you need to make sure she does it face down. Do not close the deck.
- Hold your spectator’s card up by lifting the entire deck and confirm it’s the right one. As you bring down the deck, use sleight of hand to do two things: move her card to the bottom of the pile and leave one card sticking out.
At this time, the spectator will think that the protruding card is hers. In truth, it’s already at the bottom of the deck.
Check out this video to see how it’s done:
- Now you have to get a peek of the card at the bottom.
A simple way to do this is to have her push the card in the deck. Once it’s in, lift the deck with the bottom card facing you and the side facing the spectator — draw her attention to the side by saying now it’s somewhere in the middle.
As you do this, you have an unobstructed view of the bottom card. And the code is right there!
The Reveal
Now that you have it, all you need to complete is the reveal.
Since you began by having your spectator write her code, it seems fitting to end it similarly.
Take another card or a piece of paper and scribble it down. Place it on her hand and proceed to look for her card.
Compare what she wrote and what you put on paper — it should be identical!
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are many methods to guess someone’s cellphone PIN code.
Now, if you want to perform these tricks, make sure you consider your personal style as a mentalist.
Does using a mobile phone fit your persona? Or is burning shredded pieces of paper more your style?
Aligning it to your styles doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t at least try methods that aren’t comfortable for you. If you’re not adept at tricks requiring sleight of hand, don’t drop those — but it may be a sign that you should spend more time practicing it.
Remember, the more tricks you have in your portfolio, the better off you’ll be. So choose any of these tricks and see which works for you!