How does delegation actually work

I understand how to use delegation with iOS objects that already exist. For example, if I create an instance of a UITableView, and my view controller conforms to the UITableView delegate, I can implement the various methods of the UITableView delegate. My newly create table can receive notifications, for example, when didSelectRowAtIndexPath is called.

My question is why did my table get this particular delegate callback? My understanding is that the delegate is just a list of methods with no implementation. It seems to me there must be a lot more going on. What is really going on "behind the scenes"?

Image if I were to rename all the delegate methods to the following: - mysteryMethod1 - mysteryMethod2 - mysteryMethod3... Etc One of these methods is responsible for setting the height of a row at a particular index. Another one these methods will be responsible for editing a particular row.

Everything I read about delegation says the delegator makes a contract with the delegate. The delegate promises to implement the methods. When it does, somehow everything is wired up correctly and everything magically works. What is the magic that I'm not seeing?