David Kwong

With his expertise in enigmas and illusions, David Kwong delights and challenges audiences around the world with his intellectual brand of magic. A veteran “cruciverbalist” (crossword puzzle constructor), Kwong routinely creates puzzles for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal. Kwong regularly speaks to companies, demonstrating the principles of illusion and the science of why your brain is fooled. Kwong’s book Spellbound: Seven Principles of Illusion to Captivate Audiences and Unlock the Secrets of Success was published by Harper Business. Kwong's one-man magic and puzzle show, "The Enigmatist," has played to sold-out crowds in New York and Los Angeles. It premieres at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in June of 2023. Kwong's virtual show about puzzles, games and wordplay, "Inside the Box," garnered a Critic’s Pick from the New York Times. Kwong works closely with puzzler Dave Shukan and magician Francis Menotti to consult on illusions and puzzles for film, television, and theater. Kwong was the head magic consultant on the worldwide hit “Now You See Me” and has consulted on Apple’s “The Afterparty,” “The Imitation Game,” “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation,” and "The Bad Guys." Kwong is a graduate of Harvard University, where he studied the history of magic.

The intersection of illusion and enigmas.

Magic and puzzles are members of the same family. They both challenge the mind and our ability to perceive, reason and solve!

illusion, Puzzles and Games