1) The president writes three numbers on separate pieces of White House stationery, puts them in individual envelopes and hides them in three places across the country.

2) House Republican leader Eric Cantor then tries to find these envelopes. When he finds one, he must guess the number inside. If he guesses wrong, he has to shut up — not say one more word — for three months. If he guesses right, he then may propose a list of spending cuts, which are put to a nonbinding vote by the Supreme Court.