Has anyone here ever got round someone asking how something was done by just telling the truth, but putting enough sarcasm on it, or exaggerating it enough to make it sound like you're just winding the person up?

Alternatively, has anyone here supposedly given away the secret by claiming to have a complex gimmick do the work, despite the fact that it was all sleight of hand?

Another variation, if a spectator says how to do a trick, and it is correct, is that you could say that although that is not how you do it, his variation would make sense too, and that you'll give it a go. Then, when trying the spectator's method, you mess up and/or go slower on purpose to make it seem like his version is more difficult, even though it's really the same as yours. By doing the trick badly/slowly, it disguises that the two tricks are one and the same. Afterwards, DO NOT repeat the trick your way.

Have any of these techniques worked for you?

i use them all the time, but they are risky when using gimmicks, because if people believe you, there is no way to prove them wrong, sadly.

I do it all the time. But only when people take guesses, and that happens very rarly. I think it works quite well. Not only to "throw them off the trail" but it gets a nice laugh depending on what the working method is.

I like it when people take wild guesse, but when i can't prove they are wrong, that's when i get sad

I did the stealth pen a while ago, and my classmate asked if thats a trick pen, and I said, Yeah, it is...you see that secret button there? When I push it, it shoots out glue and glues the bill instant." I love doing that cuz it makes the specs think theres no gimmick.

if someone says that they know how to do it
ask them how
looked canfused
then ask them to do it their way
9 out of 10 times the person wont be able to pull it off unless they are a magician

If someone says to me how I did it, I just tell'm, "That sounds kewl, maybe I'll try it that way next time."

If they say that I'm using a "such and such", I'll say "They make such a thing? Do you know where I can find one?" "Have you seen one?" "That would be kewl to have one of those?" etc., etc.

By not admitting how the effect was done, even if they guessed correct they will still walk away with some bewilderment.