A finely finished walnut board is shown to have four different colored light bulbs, each with a switch of the same color in front of it. When the red switch is turned on, the red bulb lights. As each switch is turned on, the corresponding colored bulb in front of it lights. Nothing special so far. Now, the first two bulbs are removed from their sockets and their positions switched. They no longer line up with their matching switch. Even so, each switch still operates only its matching colored bulb. Throughout the routine, all the bulbs are moved around. Still, each switch only operates the bulb of corresponding color. Finally, with all the bulbs mixed up, you explain that it was better with the bulbs in front of their respective switches. Rather than unscrew all the bulbs, you remove the caps on the switches and replace them in the correct order. Again, all the switches are turned on and each colored switch operates only its matching bulb.

The new Mini-Magic Switchboard is battery operated, which allows this classic to be done anywhere in the world.