British magician Cecil Lyle was at a peak in his career in the early 1940s, when he took out his Cavalcade of Mystery show — performing such major stage illusions as Crushing a Woman, the Mascot Moth, Sawing a Woman in Half, and the Indian Rope Trick. As a publicity ploy, Cecil insured his hands for £10,000. It has been said that his manipulative skill when presenting the multiplying billiard balls under the title of "Lyle's Marvelous Hands" was not exactly commensurate with this price tag. His wife, Lucille, latter confessed that the sum related to the "whole show," which was metaphorically "on his hands."

"Talk About Tricks" next month features two tricks by Martin Lewis, Martin's Oil Opener and Rejected, String & Pencil by Gregg Webb, Nathan's Oil Closer by Nathan Gibson, and the Armador Change by Carlos Amador. Jimmy Nuzzo talks about the Side Steal in "Expertalk."