This post contains affiliate links.
What Is the Newspaper Test?
The newspaper test is one of the most elegant prediction effects in mentalism. A spectator freely selects a page from a newspaper, that page is torn into dozens of small pieces, and through a seemingly random elimination process, one single piece is chosen. The performer then reveals the exact word or headline on that fragment — matching a prediction that was sealed and on display before the show began.
It looks impossible. The spectator picked any page. Any piece was chosen from the rubble. Yet you knew exactly what it would say.
That combination — borrowed props, spectator handling, and a pre-set prediction — is what makes the newspaper test a staple of professional mentalism acts for more than 60 years.
A Brief History
The modern newspaper test was popularized in the 1960s by two giants of British mentalism: Al Koran and Maurice Fogel. Both performers built versions of the effect into their stage shows, and audiences were baffled every time.
Since then, the effect has been refined by countless performers. Commercial versions have been released — Nathan Kranzo’s TEARify being a notable recent one — but the core principle has stayed constant: a spectator chooses, a page is torn into chaos, and you knew the outcome all along.
The effect has lasted because it checks every box for great mentalism. The props are everyday objects, no gimmick is visible to the audience, the spectator genuinely handles everything, and the method is bulletproof when executed correctly.
Why This Effect Lands Every Time
Many mentalism effects require a special prop, a confederate, or extensive preparation the audience can feel happening. The newspaper test feels different.
From the audience’s point of view, every decision was genuinely free. The spectator chose the page. They tore it. They chose the piece from among the pile. The visual chaos of a newspaper shredded into fragments makes the final selection look truly impossible to predict.
It also plays physically big. Even in a mid-sized room, the image of torn newsprint piled on a table and a sealed prediction envelope already on display gives the effect a theatrical scale that smaller close-up pieces can’t match.
What You Need
The beauty of the newspaper test is its simplicity. For the basic version, you’ll need:
- A newspaper (tabloid or broadsheet both work well)
- A sealed prediction envelope or index card, displayed before you begin
- A clear surface for the tearing and dealing process
That’s it. No electronics, no gimmicked props, no assistants. You can also use a printed flyer, a magazine page, or any large text-dense sheet in a pinch — but a newspaper is ideal because the newsprint feels authentic, the dense columns of text make any target feel genuinely random, and the paper tears cleanly into manageable pieces.
How to Perform the Newspaper Test Step by Step
The overview below covers the full performance structure. The force method — the part you’ll spend the most time learning — lives in Step 4, and is the heart of the trick.
Step 1: Set Your Prediction
Before the show, spend a few minutes with the newspaper. Identify the specific word, name, or short phrase in the area you plan to force. Write your prediction clearly, seal it in an envelope, and hand it to an audience member or place it prominently on the table before you say a word about what you’re going to do.
Step 2: Introduce the Newspaper
Present the newspaper to the audience. Emphasize that it’s ordinary — you can even ask if anyone read this morning’s paper. Hand it to a volunteer and ask them to flip through and pull out any single page they like.
Step 3: Let Them Tear the Page
Ask the spectator to tear their chosen page in half, then in half again, continuing until the whole page is a pile of small fragments. Encourage them to mix the pieces thoroughly. The more physical chaos in this step, the more impossible the selection feels to the audience watching.
Step 4: Control the Force Piece
This is where the method lives. During (or before) the tearing process, you’ll prepare and track the specific piece you want selected. Classic handling involves either pre-folding the target piece so it behaves differently in the pile, or managing it during the tearing so you always know its location.
The elimination process — where the spectator deals pieces one at a time onto your outstretched hand, stopping whenever they feel like it — is the key deceptive sequence. Practiced smoothly, it looks completely fair while giving you precise control of which piece ends up being selected. This is the part that benefits most from physical rehearsal with an actual newspaper.
Step 5: Reveal the Match
Ask the spectator to look at the piece and think of the word or headline printed on it. Build a moment of concentration. Then reveal — either by announcing the word yourself, or by asking them to open the sealed envelope. The match hits every time.
Handling the Force: Three Approaches
There are several ways to manage the force piece, and different performers have preferences based on their style:
- The pre-fold method: Before the show, fold the target piece slightly inward when you prepare the newspaper. During tearing, this piece naturally feels different in the pile, making it easy to track and guide to the spectator’s hand.
- The elimination deal: Ask the spectator to deal pieces from their pile one at a time onto your hand, stopping whenever they feel the urge. This appears completely random but gives you multiple opportunities to steer the outcome.
- The magician’s choice (equivoque) approach: In some versions, you ask the spectator to split the pile between two hands, then choose one. This is an application of the equivoque principle, layering additional apparent freedom over the force.
Most performers combine elements of more than one approach. The goal is always the same: the spectator feels as though every decision was theirs, and the result was random.
Tips for a Stronger Performance
The method handles itself once you’ve practiced it. In performance, your energy should go into presentation. A few things that separate a good newspaper test from a great one:
- Commit to the prediction early and visibly. Hand the envelope to an audience member before the newspaper even comes out. The earlier you establish the prediction, the more impossible the reveal feels.
- Let the spectator do as much as possible. Resist handling the newspaper unnecessarily. The more hands-off you stay during the tearing and dealing, the cleaner it looks.
- Don’t rush the reveal. After the piece is chosen, pause. Ask them to look at it. Ask them to concentrate on a single word. That silence before the reveal is where the tension lives.
- Have a natural cover story. Something like “I was reading the news this morning and noticed something I wanted to try” integrates the prop naturally without drawing attention to the setup.
Variations Worth Exploring
Once you’re comfortable with the basic version, several directions open up:
Headline revelation: Instead of a single word, you reveal a specific news headline. This version plays bigger and more dramatically, but requires more precise force handling.
Phone number version: Force a piece containing a printed phone number (a display ad works well) and appear to divine the digits. This connects naturally to the style of effect in the phone PIN prediction.
Pre-show setup version: If you have access to the venue’s newspaper before showtime, a cleaner setup with more flexibility is possible. Paired with solid pre-show work, the effect can appear completely impromptu even when it isn’t.
Prediction revealed by the audience: Instead of you announcing the prediction, the volunteer who has been holding the sealed envelope opens it at the climax. Your hands never touch the outcome. This is the cleanest handling for an audience that has seen mentalism before.
Where This Fits in Your Set
The newspaper test works best as a strong opening effect or a first-act closer. It uses a prop everyone recognizes, requires no long explanation, and creates an immediate large impact.
It’s not ideal as a walk-around or close-up piece — the tearing and dealing process need a defined surface and a focused working space. In parlor or stage settings with 20 to 200 people, it lands consistently well.
If you’re building a mentalism routine, consider placing it after a quick verbal opener and before your headline act. It raises the energy and establishes that your abilities extend to precognition — not just reading people. For more on sequencing, see the guide to mentalism prediction tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you perform the newspaper test without pre-show setup?
Yes. A version can be performed handling the force entirely during the performance. That said, having a few minutes with the newspaper before the show gives you a cleaner method and more control over the target piece. Most working performers use at least minimal pre-show preparation.
What type of newspaper works best?
Broadsheet newspapers (the larger format) give you more tearing flexibility, which helps with controlling the force piece. Tabloids work too. The main requirements are that the paper tears cleanly and the text is dense enough to make the selected word feel genuinely random.
Is there a commercial version of the newspaper test?
Yes. Nathan Kranzo’s TEARify is a well-regarded commercial version of the newspaper prediction effect. Several other marketed routines exist. However, the basic method can be learned without purchasing anything, using principles — like the elimination deal and equivoque — you may already know from other mentalism study.
How long does the effect run in performance?
The full effect typically runs three to five minutes depending on how much time you give the tearing process and the reveal. Rushing either of those weakens it. Give the audience time to appreciate what’s happening.
How much practice does the force require?
Plan on several focused practice sessions with an actual newspaper before performing it live. The feel of the force piece, the rhythm of the dealing, and the transition into the reveal all benefit from physical rehearsal more than mental run-throughs alone.
Is this a stage effect or can it be done close up?
Primarily a stage or parlor effect. The tearing process and elimination deal need enough space to be performed clearly and watched by an audience. With proper staging, it plays well to groups of 20 to 200+.
How does this differ from a book test?
In a book test, the spectator selects a word from a page in a book and the performer divines it. The newspaper test adds the physical destruction element — tearing a page into chaos — which makes the selection feel even more impossible. Both follow a prediction or revelation structure, but the newspaper test has a more visual, theatrical quality that plays better at distance.
Do you need a confederate or stooge?
No. The newspaper test is self-contained. No stooge or confederate is required. One spectator handles everything, and the force method does the work without any outside assistance.
Start Simple, Then Build
The newspaper test rewards patience. Start with the basic version — one force approach, one target, one volunteer — and work the mechanics until they’re smooth before adding variations or alternative handlings.
After five or six live performances, you’ll develop feel for pacing the tearing, managing the audience’s attention during the elimination, and landing the reveal at exactly the right moment. Few mentalism effects give you this level of audience reaction for this little prop investment.
A newspaper, a sealed envelope, and a well-practiced force. That’s all it takes to create one of the most memorable moments in a mentalism set.