# Symbolic Cups and Balls > Symbolic Cups and Balls (iPhone/iPad app by Ralph Cos.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbolic-cups-and-balls/id6474763957 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Ralph Cos](https://appshunter.io/developer/573505028) - Category: Utilities, Entertainment - Price: Free with in-app purchases (on sale, was $7.99) - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 16.6 · 4 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2023-12-27 - Data updated: 2026-08-31 - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbolic-cups-and-balls/id6474763957/reviews.md ## What is Symbolic Cups and Balls? Symbolic Cups and Balls forms part of the 'Symbolic Close-Up Trilogy' that dedicates to symbolic notation in Close-up magic. The volumes are: Vol. 1 - Symbolic Method Vol. 2 - Symbolic Matrix Vol. 3 - Symbolic Cups and Balls These apps blend into the most comprehensive set of technical learning tools for Close-up magicians, with solutions for mental techniques and notation systems. ‘Symbolic Cups and Balls’ serves to document, draft and study ideas and variations on the Close-up magic Cups and Balls theme. It addresses all Close-up magicians who dedicate time and ideas to this classic effect, from the early classic routines to the most recent variations. Consider any Cups and Balls routine as a sequence of position checks and actions along with dramaturgic and grammatical elements. Pin those down in a most concise way by means of intuitive icons and symbols. Then let them guide you, view by view, to study, analyse, recall, and practice Cups and Balls routines systematically. The ‘Symbolic Cups and Balls’ method gives you a holistic view on the routines, enables you to x-ray the method, and serves to go over your related material from books, lecture notes, brainstorming sessions, and videos. It opens up new perspectives, and is to the Cups and Balls trick what musical notes are to a song. It works on all iOS devices, with the best product experience on iPads. Additional information: - License agreement - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ - Privacy policy - https://yeahgic.com/pge_PrivacyCups.htm ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year | | 3 Months Subscription | $3.99 | per 3 months | ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2026.5 — 2026-08-22 This release comes in memory of Juan Tamariz ### 2026.4 — 2026-03-17 This release sets a focus on new elements and ideas to better visualize "Local Actions" such as (false) puts, takes and loads, and to emphasize the dramaturgical structure of documents. The aim is to make it easier to spot the essential waypoints of sequences and routines. Furthermore, the 'Split Text' option introduced in the further release was extended to also isolate text bracketed by the split separator. In detail, these new features are released: 1. These new Action symbols were added: - the new Action symbol PUT was added. PUT serves to document the action of openly putting or placing a ball under a cup - the new Action symbol FALSE PUT was added. FALSE PUT serves to document the action of pretending to put or place a ball under a cup - the new Action symbol TAKE was added. TAKE serves to document the action of openly taking or removing a ball from under a cup - the new Action symbol LOAD was added. LOAD serves to document the action of secretly loading a ball under or into a cup - the new Action symbol TILT LOAD was added. TILT LOAD serves to document the action of secretly loading a ball under a cup while tilting to the cup to take the ball sitting on its top 2. The new Action symbols listed above were also added to the 'Slot Menu' item "Add Local Action" 3. Some important dramaturgical elements are now rendered with more emphasis, in order to make them a more noticeable. - The Context-Drama element "Effect" is now rendered in blue color, thus setting a higher emphasis, and making it easier to spot as an important waypoint. - The symbols for "Wow"and "Gone" are now rendered larger. These symbols add dramaturgical context and are now easier to spot. 4. The 'Split Text' option introduced in the further release was extended to also isolate text. The new options 'Split Text > Set Separator and Isolate into Slots' and 'Split Text > Set Separator and Isolate into Views' allow to isolate the text bracketed by the split separator. - For example, the text 'a-b-c', arranged into a single Text Slot, can be split into one Text Slot or one Text View that holds only 'b' by applying the separator '-'. - Likewise, the text 'Say "a", then say "b", and finally say "c"', arranged into a single Text Slot, can be split into Text Slots or Text Views that hold the texts 'a', 'b', and 'c' by applying the separator '"'. ### 2026.3 — 2026-03-10 1. The new 'Split Text option for Text Slots allows to split text in Text Slots or Views. - Text, arranged in one Text Slot, can now be split into multiple Text Slots or multiple Text Views. The split separator can be specified. - For example, the text 'a-b-c', arranged into a single Text Slot, can be split into three Text Slots or Views that hold 'a', 'b', and 'c' by applying the separator '-'. - Likewise, the text 'Say "a", then say "b", and finally say "c"', arranged into a single Text Slot, can be split into Text Slots that hold the texts 'Say', 'a', ', then say', 'b', ', and finally say', 'c' by applying the separator '"'. - The new option makes it easy to isolate text sequences or bullet points from larger sequences into dedicated Slots. The resulting multi-Slot View can then be manually trimmed and adjusted. The original Text View remains as a reference and can be manually deleted. - Large sets of split elements are better split into Text Views. - Small sets of split elements may be split into Slots of a single View. ### 2026.2 — 2026-02-10 1. Refinements to the subscription logic. In case you run into any issues please do not hesitate to contact me 2. Improvements to the Export to PDF option ### 2026.1 — 2026-01-22 1. Symbolic Cups and Balls is moved to a subscription model supporting a 3 months subscription and an annual subscription. Existing users will continue as purchased users and will not notice the change. A big thank you to all early adopters who enabled this important milestone towards a sustainable future for Symbolic Method! 2. A new link to subscribe for the Newsletter related to Close-Up symbolic notation and related subjects 3. Code maintenance ## Apps similar to Symbolic Cups and Balls | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Reink - E-ink Screen Manager](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reink-e-ink-screen-manager/id6444255484) | 3.0 (24) | Free | Utilities | | [ChatX - AI Chat Client Top](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chatx-ai-chat-client-top/id6446304087) | 4.6 (481) | Free | Utilities | | [NFC Arcane](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfc-arcane/id6747028298) | — | $19.99 | Utilities | | [MagicCloud](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magiccloud/id6469010211) | — | Free | Utilities | | [Virtuoz](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtuoz/id6462795558) | — | Free | Utilities | | [Astro Nobel - Astrology](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-nobel-astrology/id1621593839) | 4.9 (34) | Free | Utilities | ## More apps by Ralph Cos - [ACAAN Trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acaan-trainer/id573505025) - [Twice As Hard Trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twice-as-hard-trainer/id577559904) - [Serial-Sum Trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serial-sum-trainer/id577884595) - [Random Input](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/random-input/id578071417) - [Random Sound Recorder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/random-sound-recorder/id608045136) - [Stack Trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-trainer/id646458442) All apps by Ralph Cos: https://appshunter.io/developer/573505028 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*