If this is an acceptable Challenge, I will try to find applicants for you. Magic wand supporters are all over the internet.
You would not be finding applicants for
me, since do not have any more to do with the challenge than you do. However, having spent some time here and taken part in such discussions before, I can't see any obvious problems with it. It's better than the pain test because it's much easier to have proper blinding as well as requiring fewer people.
Protocol:
Materials
2 rooms, separated that no direct communication is possible even when doors are opened.
1 magic stick.
1 Wander.
1 Taster.
3 Testers.
(Ideally 3 observers chosen by the applicants, but not strictly necessary)
20 lemons (plus a few extras, just in case).
1 roll of clingfilm/2 tea towels.
1 coin.
Labels, notepads, pens.
Video cameras (possibly plus people if the existing ones will be too busy).
Method
Room 1 contains the Wander, Tester 1 and Observer 1. They may not leave the room at any time during the test.
Room 2 contains the Tasters, Tester 3 and Observer 3. They may not leave the room at any time during the test.
For each trial, one lemon will be cut in half and wrapped in clingfilm/covered in a teatowel. (May depend on the applicants claim. Clingfilm seems the obvious choice since it is transparent, but since we know the stick works through clothes, covering with cloth may be closer to the actual claim.)
The halves will be labelled A and B. Sticky labels for clingfilm, maybe paper with safety pins for cloth.
The toss of a coin will determine which half is to be sticked in this trial. Heads - A, tails - B.
The Wander will be allowed 5 minutes in which to do their thing. The other lemon half will be kept well away from the chosen half to avoid accidental sticking, but will remain in plain sight.
When finished, the two lemon halves will be placed next to each other and Tester 2 and Observer 2 will be called into Room 1.
The two lemon halves will be placed on a tray, ensuring that the labels are still attached and clearly visible.
Tester 2 will carry them to Room 2, where the Taster, Tester 3 and Observer 3 are present.
The tray will be placed on a table and Tester 2 and Observer 2 will leave the room.
Tester 3 will unwrap/uncover the lemon halves and place their labels next to the correct half.
The Taster will be allowed 5 minutes in which to decide, using any method they choose, which lemon half has been sticked.
Tester 3 will record the result.
Tester 2 and Observer 2 will be called back into Room 2 to remove the lemon and associated materials. They will return to Room 1 to advise them to start the next trial, and will then leave the room until called on again.
Analysis
If the Taster chooses the correct half, the trial is a hit. Nothing else will constitute a hit. The Taster may not change their mind once Tester 2 has recorded the choice.
18 or more hits out of 20 will pass the test. 17 or less hits will fail. There are no other possibilities.
It's all pretty simple really. 5 people, 4 hours and 2 rooms are all that's needed, plus some cheap and easily acquired equipment. I say 18/20 because that's a standard that has been used before for binary tests, and although people often claim 100% accuracy, allowing them less eliminates at least one of the more obvious complaints that could be made afterwards.
The only real sticking (heh) point may be the covering of the lemons. Although it's clearly claimed to work through clothes, this is exactly the kind of thing people like to complain about (see VisionFromFeeling, for example). It may be possible to eliminate the need for this given some extra precautions such as short sleeves and a face mask to avoid things like sugar hidden up a sleeve or spitting. The obvious way to cheat would be sugar in a pocket. Perhaps the Wander could be required to put on a new pair of rubber gloves for each trial, and must keep their hands visible at all times once they are on.
Of course, it's not quite true when I say that I can't see any obvious problems with this. We still don't have an applicant.
