--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But a trick doesn't seem clever if you…" description: "\"“But a trick doesn't seem clever if you reveal it before it's played.”\" — Tim Stead" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg" --- # But a trick doesn't seem clever if you reveal it before… ![“But a trick doesn't seem clever if you reveal it before it's played.” quote by Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg) > ““But a trick doesn't seem clever if you reveal it before it's played.”” [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A trick loses its cleverness if revealed before it is performed. **In simple terms:** Reveal a trick too early and it loses impact. Key Takeaway Preserve surprise for effect. Themes creativity performance entertainment Mood playful strategic Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - magic shows - product launches - marketing campaigns Key Concepts timing reveal audience expectation Questions to Reflect On - When is it okay to reveal a secret? - How does timing affect audience reaction? A Different Perspective Premature disclosure can ruin impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Trick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trick/) ## Related quotes > [If you do a trick and it doesn't work out, that can stick with you. I like to go back, nail the trick, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-white/if-you-do-a-trick-and-it-doesn-t-work-out-that-can-stick-with-you-i/) [Shaun White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-white/) > [“Sometimes playing stupid opens your eyes to the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/sometimes-playing-stupid-opens-your-eyes-to-the-truth/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Everybody Makes Mistakes But The Trick To Make Them Whem Nobody Is Looking !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karal/everybody-makes-mistakes-but-the-trick-to-make-them-whem-nobody-is/) Karal > [“Are you angry about-' He cuts himself off, looking at my face more carefully. 'No, you're afraid. But why would you be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/are-you-angry-about-he-cuts-himself-off-looking-at-my-face-more/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Everybody talks about tariffs as the first thing. Tariffs are the last thing. Tariffs are part of the negotiation. The real trick is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-ross/everybody-talks-about-tariffs-as-the-first-thing-tariffs-are-the-last/) [Wilbur Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-ross/) > [I've always enjoyed Cheap Trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/i-ve-always-enjoyed-cheap-trick/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [Every trick that's going to be done on X Games is probably going to be done first on a 'Nitro Live' tour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-pastrana/every-trick-that-s-going-to-be-done-on-x-games-is-probably-going-to/) [Travis Pastrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-pastrana/) > [It's in the vein, somewhere in a cross between The Beatles, Cheap Trick, The Stones, Badfinger, you know, but it's not retro at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-brown/it-s-in-the-vein-somewhere-in-a-cross-between-the-beatles-cheap-trick/) [Steve Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-brown/) > [As an actor, I feel one should use his look to trick people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/as-an-actor-i-feel-one-should-use-his-look-to-trick-people/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [Yes, I can do the cherry stem trick. All girls in my high school could do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/yes-i-can-do-the-cherry-stem-trick-all-girls-in-my-high-school-could/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [“Everyone falls sometimes, son, even me, but the trick is to get right back up. They’ll always target the ones who appear vulnerable, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/everyone-falls-sometimes-son-even-me-but-the-trick-is-to-get-right/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [Careers, like rockets, don't always take off on time. The trick is to always keep the engine running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/careers-like-rockets-don-t-always-take-off-on-time-the-trick-is-to/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Tell the truth or trump-but get the trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/tell-the-truth-or-trump-but-get-the-trick/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The trick is to be there when it's settled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-trick-is-to-be-there-when-it-s-settled/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) ## More by Tim Stead > [“A great man is one who can swim in the ocean and not get wet. (Sheyani Esh Baradan al Dasham)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/a-great-man-is-one-who-can-swim-in-the-ocean-and-not-get-wet-sheyani/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) > [“War is a team sport.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/war-is-a-team-sport/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) > [“There are men who will not take the world as it is, who see to change things, to make an advantage for themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/there-are-men-who-will-not-take-the-world-as-it-is-who-see-to-change/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) > [“This is all that matters. This day, this wall, this battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/this-is-all-that-matters-this-day-this-wall-this-battle/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) > [“Killing men is not like fencing. There's no room for fine touches in battle. Every second that you blade is stuck in one man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/killing-men-is-not-like-fencing-there-s-no-room-for-fine-touches-in/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) [Explore all 6 Tim Stead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) ## More Reveal quotes > [We reveal our joys and successes, we conceal our pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-reveal-our-joys-and-successes-we-conceal-our-pain/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Some projects go as you hope or imagine, and some change or reveal themselves in a different way; it depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/some-projects-go-as-you-hope-or-imagine-and-some-change-or-reveal/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [“If we could push ajar the gates of life, And stand within, and all God's workings see, We could interpret all this doubt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-riley-smith/if-we-could-push-ajar-the-gates-of-life-and-stand-within-and-all-god/) Mary Riley Smith > [Modern capitalism seeks to assure us that it operates according to the principles of free creativity, endless development and diversity. It glosses over its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadezhda-tolokonnikova/modern-capitalism-seeks-to-assure-us-that-it-operates-according-to/) [Nadezhda Tolokonnikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadezhda-tolokonnikova/) > [“Education reveals the potential of people and market.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/education-reveals-the-potential-of-people-and-market/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Acting is like peeling an onion. You have to peel away each layer to reveal another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-binoche/acting-is-like-peeling-an-onion-you-have-to-peel-away-each-layer-to/) [Juliette Binoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-binoche/) > [We feel that to reveal embarrassing or private things, we have given someone something, that, like a primitive person fearing that a photographer will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/we-feel-that-to-reveal-embarrassing-or-private-things-we-have-given/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [“You need to retain a little bit of mystery along the way or he’s going to assume he’s already plumbed your depths and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-monroe/you-need-to-retain-a-little-bit-of-mystery-along-the-way-or-he-s/) Eric Monroe > [In describing someone's character, I reveal my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/in-describing-someone-s-character-i-reveal-my-own/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/people-reveal-themselves-completely-only-when-they-are-thrown-out-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [We never sit down before we start making a record and talk about this new sonic palette that we are going to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/we-never-sit-down-before-we-start-making-a-record-and-talk-about-this/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [I'm the perfect amount of guarded. I don't reveal too much, and I never reveal who the songs are about. They are real life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/i-m-the-perfect-amount-of-guarded-i-don-t-reveal-too-much-and-i-never/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [The entrenched beliefs many westerners profess about Islam often reveal more about the West than they do about Islam or Muslims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamza-yusuf/the-entrenched-beliefs-many-westerners-profess-about-islam-often/) [Hamza Yusuf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamza-yusuf/) > [I am the jongleur. I leap and pirouette, and make you laugh. I make fun of those in power, and I show you how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-fo/i-am-the-jongleur-i-leap-and-pirouette-and-make-you-laugh-i-make-fun/) [Dario Fo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-fo/) > [It's pure joy when you can reveal the most intimate and 'embarrassing' parts of yourself and know they will be loved and celebrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/it-s-pure-joy-when-you-can-reveal-the-most-intimate-and-embarrassing/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) Browse all 516 Reveal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But a trick doesn't seem clever if you reveal it before it's played.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim Stead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-reveal-it-before-it-s-played/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Reveal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-reveal-it-before-it-s-played/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/tim-stead-55214_reveal_but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-r_2908044.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But a trick doesn't seem clever if you reveal it before it's played.” — Tim Stead", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tim Stead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But a trick doesn't seem clever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-reveal-it-before-it-s-played/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/but-a-trick-doesn-t-seem-clever-if-you-reveal-it-before-it-s-played/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```