I will use 4 cards from the Zigeuner Wahrsagekarten deck to illustrate an open ended 4 card layout. There are no designations assigned to the spots. They will be read like a sentence, linking one card with another resulting in a theme.
This type of layout is good when you want to just read the cards as is. You can use more than 4 cards or as little as 2. I believe that no matter how hard you focus on a question, you will not always select the cards to give you the answer that is connected to the original question. Most of the time you do, but not every time. I’m not sure why this happens but I think it is because a person may be thinking about one thing and have deeper feelings about something else.
These 4 cards will represent the present or current time leading into the near future. The last card can be viewed as the outcome/result card. In the example, we are dealing with a man and a woman. I will read these cards as if it is a female who cast the reading.
You can look up the brief meanings for the entire deck under the header tab called “zigeuner”
Sweetheart – the female doing the cards
Anger – the emotion she is feeling right now or will in a very short time
Lover – a male she is involved with
Death – conclusion, end, finalization, the outcome of the entire experience of the previous cards
Our main card for analysis is the Anger card. Common sense dictates there is an argument involved or some conflict in communication. The very in depth description can be downloaded —->visit the direct link to SCRIBD website.
That sounds way too easy doesn’t it. Well maybe that is all it is, a “fight” which is sometimes normal for couples. This “fight” is different, though. The dynamics of the relationships will change dramatically. There will be an ending. Most likely the female will know why this argument is happening or about to happen. Any plans that these two people did have will be cancelled temporarily. If you wanted to at this point you could draw one more card to get a better idea why this fight is happening. Place it across the Lover card. This new card will reveal to you what is on the Lover’s mind.
The card crossing (clarification) is Merriment. He could be thinking about the good time he had with someone else and this is why they are having heated words. If the last card was a positive one (which it is not), Merriment would be read as the male being a peace loving individual who was easy going and who really did not want to argue. Maybe the Sweetheart lady instigated it.
Anger + Merriment= points to passion, intense emotions that come from a situation that gives much pleasure of the senses. One of these people is having an affair or relations outside of the relationship. The consequences of this affair will lead to an ending between the Sweetheart and Lover. No matter what happened the relationship will never be the same.
Can it be salvaged? We all know that in order for the birth of anything new, something dies. Yes, they can still be together if they forgive each other and rise above it. And who can really do that when heightened emotions are involved. Merriment suggests his thoughts are elsewhere. He just wants to have fun and probably isn’t too seriously involved with the Sweetheart even if he is her husband.
Other interpretations are possible & can be more specific when you do your own layout.
Malady. This card addresses issues of fatigue or the slow movement of things. 
House. (trigger card) Issues surrounding the home and family are significant. The House can mean one’s own inner temple. 
Marriage card. Typically represents situations involving cooperation, partnerships, relationships and commitments. 
. Message. The delivery or correspondence of feedback that comes in the form of information is shared. 
Falseness. A card of misinterpretation of information or receipt of some news that is not exactly true. Something is missing and all the facts are not in yet.
Visit. Generally a positive influence. It brings some intent to discovery of gaining an expansion of what is known. A possible gift could be in the offing.
Reviewing Zigeuner combinations
A question about a Zigeuner Wahrsagekarten deck layout in the comments section from Contessa
Thank you for your question. Your analysis is in keeping with the principal meanings of these cards. I have found that the true legend Gipsy deck can describe situations in a way that cuts through the chase.
Sometimes the obvious is the correct interpretation.
The latter cards place MARRIAGE in jeopardy or so it seems. One must study the cards a little deeper because there could be two things going on within the 5 cards. It all depends on which card you are using as the focal point.
For example, if WIDOWER is used as the focus, it can describe a commitment or serious relationship (MARRIAGE) which had a wonderful beginning (FORTUNE) in the past. There could have been a major rift (MISFORTUNE) which eventually will end in a surrender (DEATH) only to begin anew.
These cards can also predict an accident (MISFORTUNE) to a person close to the WIDOWER. The MARRIAGE would represent the partner or other person.
When reading MARRIAGE to represent a relationship, then I tend to agree with some of your analysis. The WIDOWER would be the grieving stage after the collapse (MISFORTUNE) leading to the DEATH card which is the final stage. Within this final stage is the glimmer of re-birthing and often a relationship will change and go to another level but continue. This happens all the time in marriage type situations. When a separation does occur through breakdown of the relationship the DEATH card becomes like the ‘period’ at the end of a sentence.
If an old gypsy woman from Eastern Europe was reading these cards back in the mid 1950’s the DEATH card would mean the marriage is over and the person will be devastated. Those yesteryear card readers did not include much spiritual philosophy or alternate levels of meaning for these cards. Old fashioned fortune telling is quite dramatic.
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