Want to score a free drink and blow some minds at the bar? All you need is a match, two pint glasses, and something worth stealing — like a five-dollar bill.
In this clever challenge from Scam School, you're daring someone to "disarm" a matchstick alarm system without touching it — and the solution is as surprising as it is slick.
This bar puzzle is perfect for parties, dive bars, or anywhere people love a good wager. It's less about sleight of hand and more about setup, timing, and misdirection.
The setup
It only takes a minute to stage this trick, but presentation is everything. Make sure the props look ordinary and the "alarm" looks delicate.
Turn a pint glass upside down and place a bill (or any prize) underneath. That's your "vault." Set a second pint glass upside down next to it, leaving about an inch of space. Then, balance a matchstick horizontally between the two glass rims. The match should lie flat across the top, bridging both glasses like a tripwire.
The challenge
This is where the magic happens — not in the trick itself, but in how you sell it. Lay out the rules carefully to make the puzzle sound fair but impossible.
Tell your opponent they can use anything on the table, but they may only touch one glass. They can't touch the matchstick. And if the match loses contact with the treasure glass — even for a split second — the "alarm" goes off, and they lose. The challenge is to remove the bill without setting off the system.
The solution
Here's where science meets showmanship. With just the right move, you can "fuse" the matchstick to the glass and lift it without triggering the trap.
Use another match to ignite one end of the horizontal matchstick. Let it burn briefly, then blow it out just before the flame reaches the glass. The charred match head softens and slightly sticks to the rim. With a steady hand, you can now lift the glass — and the match — in one smooth motion. Remove the bill, set the glass back down, and collect your prize.
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