Lu-Brent credited Charles C. Slayton, a US Navy Commander, for this clever card problem; which he published with some of his own refinements in "Lu-Brent's Exclusive Card Mysteries."

Lu-Brent's Thought Spelling

The effect
The cards, mentally selected by three different spectators, are discovered one at a time by spelling their names.

Set-up
Pre-arrange the top 18 cards as following: 10C, AS, 9H, QS, 4D, QD, 2C, 10H, 5S, 3H, KD, 7D, 6C, 2S, KH, 85, JD, 3D. The top card of this set-up is the 10C, while the bottom card is the 3D. As already stated, this stack of cards goes on TOP of the pack.

You'll also need to make up a short card, the value doesn't matter. The short card is placed ninth from the BOTTOM of the pack. In other words, eight indifferent cards are just below it.

Handling
Approach your audience with cards in the case. Take out the pack and false cut the deck - leaving the top and bottom arrangements intact. You need not do this, but a certain amount of false cutting of the pack will serve to heighten the effect. Fan out and show the first six cards to one person with the request that he mentally select one card. Offer the person an opportunity to change his mind if he likes. Once the spectator indicates he has a card firmly in mind, close the fan of six cards and either place them in HIS breast pocket or face down on the table in front of him. Take care not to disturb the order.

This process is repeated twice more. In other words, show the next six cards to another person to think of one card and the next six cards to a third person. Each time, after the person thinks of a card, the fan is closed and the cards are placed down in front of the person or in their pocket. One quick point here, do not mention that you are using six cards for each person. Just say, "I will take a few cards at random from the top of pack," etc.

As you are reminding everyone to concentrate on their card, you casually take back the cards and return them to the top of the pack. Here's the order: The packet LAST GIVEN OUT is returned FIRST, SECOND NEXT, and the packet FIRST GIVEN OUT is placed on top LAST. This restores the original 18-card pre-arrangement on top of the pack. Now allow someone to give the deck a COMPLETE CUT. Take the deck back and cut the deck at the short card - this positions nine indifferent cards including the short card (top card) above the 18 prearranged cards.

Holding the face down deck in the left hand dealer's grip, ask the first person to name his/her mentally selected card. Slowly spell out the name, by dealing the cards one at a time face down for each letter in the name. When spelling, make sure to include the word, "OF." For example, N-I-N-E-O-F-H-E-A-R-T-S. When you reach the last letter, "S," place that card in front of the spectator. Now have this spectator turn over this card. The surprise comes when it proves to be the mentally selected card.

While everyone is watching this spectator turn his card over, you must reset the pack for the next selection. This is done by simply placing FIVE of the cards just dealt on the BOTTOM and ALL of the remaining dealt cards on TOP - excluding the spectator's chosen card which is left on the table. This process can be facilitated by making a point of leaving a "jog" in the tabled cards after the fifth one is dealt. You can then use this point of reference to pick up the cards after the fifth one and add those to the top. After that, you simply pick up the deck and drop it on the other five cards. Needless to say, all of this should be done in a casual, off-hand manner while the audience's attention is focused on the spectator and his chosen card.

Next, give the pack to the second spectator and ask him to spell the name of his thought card aloud, including "OF," in the exact manner which you have illustrated to spectator number one, and to place one card in your hand (performer’s) with the pronunciation of each letter, this also includes the last letter "S." After this is done the last card on the last letter is turned over and it also proves to be his mentally selected card. Spectator is requested to show his card to the audience.

Note: While the spectator deals the cards, keep a break after the fifth card is dealt on your palm. When you take back the pack, the five cards below the break go the bottom and the rest to the top. The second spectator is, of course, left with their selected card. It is not returned to the pack. Now you are ready for the grand climax.

Hand the pack to the third person and ask that he spell out his thought of card MENTALLY to himself, without saying a word and exactly as illustrated by the other two persons. The performer states and stresses the point that he, the spectator, has a card in mind and that he was given the opportunity to change his mind during the time of selection. And now he is to spell out his card mentally, placing last spelled letter card aside which is "S." All that remains is to have the final spectator turn over his card and discover it is the one he mentally chose. Work this effect up properly and you will never want of a better one along this line.