How to Perform the Clock Card Trick

This clever time-based card trick feels like pure magic — and it's easy to learn with zero sleight of hand.

The Clock Card Trick uses a spectator's freely chosen card, the current time, and a "clock" of playing cards to predict their selection in a way that seems completely random. But behind the scenes, it's all about clever card placement, simple misdirection, and a bit of timing.

You can perform this trick flawlessly if you can control a card to the top of the deck and follow the hour and minute hands on a clock. Use it to wow friends, start conversations, or level up your beginner magic skills.

🎥 Watch the full tutorial to see how the trick is performed and revealed.

The setup

Before starting the trick, take note of the current hour on a clock or phone. This will be key to positioning the spectator's card.

Begin by shuffling the deck and letting your spectator select any card. As they memorize it, secretly control it to the top of the deck. The video uses a Mahatma control, but any method that brings their card to the top will work.

Once their card is at the top, perform a few false shuffles to maintain its position, then deal one card facedown onto the table — this will be the first of 12 cards forming your "clock." Deal 11 more cards, each chosen as if at random, until you have 12 cards total in a circular arrangement on the table.

The trick (aka 'The Clock')

Now that you have your 12 cards laid out in a clock shape, assign positions: the first card is 12. Then, count clockwise through 1 to 11, ending back at 12.

Ask the spectator to check the time on their phone. Use the hour and rounded minute hand to form a 2-digit number — for example, if it's 4:53, treat it as "4:55." You'll use this number to "locate" their card.

• The hour (e.g., 4) is your prediction — this is the position where their card will end up.

• The minute (e.g., 55) helps sell the randomness — pick the closest number on the clock face to that value (in this case, 11), and point to that card too.

At this point, nudge your spectator to freely place their hand on one of the two highlighted cards. Regardless of which one they pick, you reveal their selection — by using equivoque (magician's choice), you can ensure the correct card is always revealed.

The secret

The trick works because you control where their card ends up in the clock layout. If your goal is for the card to appear at the 4 o'clock position, you place their selected card as the fourth card dealt during setup.

To do this smoothly:

1. Count out the first few cards as filler (positions 12, 1, 2, 3).

2. Deal the spectator's card as position 4.

3. Continue dealing the rest of the cards (positions 5–11).

This ensures their card is exactly where you want it. Because you've already looked at the time, you can adjust the deal order in real time.

Final reveal

Once your spectator chooses one of the two "time-based" cards, use magician's choice to make sure the correct one is turned over. If they choose the wrong one, remove it and say, "That leaves this card — your selection." If they choose the right one, celebrate the perfect prediction.