Case of the Demolition Derby Bandit
On the biggest night of the year, the Derby Champion vanished right after the final smash-up. All that was left was a busted fence and a trail of fat tire tracks. Grab your clipboard, junior detective, and figure out which monster truck driver took off with our champ.
Possible suspects
Cross off a row as each clue rules it out. On screen, tap a row.
| Name | Signature Move | Pit Trick | Driver | Truck Color | Weak Spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lulu Lugnut | Mud Bog Master | Ramp Builder | boy driver | red | flat tires |
| Rex Roadkill | Wheelie Walker | Engine Roar | girl driver | red | muddy ramps |
| Buck Crankshaft | Car Crusher | Engine Roar | girl driver | red | low fuel |
| Cleo Crusher | Car Crusher | Nitro Boost | boy driver | blue | flat tires |
| Boomer Boltz | Car Crusher | Ramp Builder | girl driver | red | muddy ramps |
| Wanda Wheelie | Big Air Jumper | Tire Shredder | boy driver | blue | flat tires |
| Spike Axleton | Wheelie Walker | Nitro Boost | boy driver | red | flat tires |
| Tank Turner | Mud Bog Master | Engine Roar | boy driver | blue | low fuel |
| Ace Ironside | Big Air Jumper | Nitro Boost | boy driver | green | muddy ramps |
| Daisy Dynamo | Mud Bog Master | Tire Shredder | girl driver | red | flat tires |
| Greta Grinder | Mud Bog Master | Smoke Screen | boy driver | blue | flat tires |
| Chip Chassis | Wheelie Walker | Tire Shredder | girl driver | green | low fuel |
| Mabel Mudslinger | Wheelie Walker | Smoke Screen | boy driver | blue | flat tires |
| Max Mufflers | Donut Spinner | Nitro Boost | boy driver | blue | flat tires |
| Sadie Smasher | Car Crusher | Engine Roar | girl driver | red | muddy ramps |
| Tilly Torque | Mud Bog Master | Engine Roar | girl driver | blue | flat tires |
| Gus Gravel | Car Crusher | Smoke Screen | boy driver | blue | muddy ramps |
| Penny Piston | Mud Bog Master | Tire Shredder | boy driver | red | muddy ramps |
| Rosie Revs | Donut Spinner | Engine Roar | girl driver | red | low fuel |
| Moe Monster | Big Air Jumper | Smoke Screen | girl driver | green | flat tires |
| Vera Vortex | Donut Spinner | Engine Roar | girl driver | green | muddy ramps |
Rounding
The arena scoreboard only flashes rounded numbers, so round the bandit's lap time to see which pit trick the truck could not pull off.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Addition
Counting up all the smashed cars in the pile tells you how many witnesses saw the driver, so add the tallies to learn if it was a boy or a girl.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Subtraction
The bandit started with a full row of barrels and knocked some over, so subtract to find out which weak spot the guards used to slow it down.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Multiplication facts (1-12)
Spilled paint chips were stuck on the fence in equal rows, so multiply the rows to match the bandit's truck color.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The crew split the leftover tire tracks into equal groups across the lot, so divide them to lock in the bandit's signature move.
First solve each problem. Then find each answer in the list below and cross that sentence out. One sentence will be left — that's exactly what the villain did!
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — Case of the Demolition Derby Bandit
- Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE VILLAIN CANNOT SHRED TIRES"Round 473 to the nearest ten = 470 (T) · Round 47,480 to the nearest thousand = 47000 (R) · Round 47,959 to the nearest ten thousand = 50000 (S) · Round 3,478 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (A) · Round 282 to the nearest ten = 280 (V) · Round 225 to the nearest hundred = 200 (E) · Round 7,172 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (N) · Round 27,750 to the nearest thousand = 28000 (D) · Round 3,133 to the nearest hundred = 3100 (I) · Round 66 to the nearest ten = 70 (L) · Round 19,922 to the nearest ten thousand = 20000 (O) · Round 326,878 to the nearest hundred thousand = 300000 (C) · Round 24 to the nearest ten = 20 (H)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "A WITNESS SAW A BOY GRIP THE WHEEL"1131 + 1506 = 2637 (A) · 2806 + 5452 = 8258 (T) · 3415 + 5200 = 8615 (N) · 3127 + 2719 = 5846 (I) · 3442 + 3563 = 7005 (S) · 4209 + 3864 = 8073 (O) · 3832 + 3949 = 7781 (H) · 1516 + 1547 = 3063 (E) · 2501 + 2830 = 5331 (Y) · 4110 + 3500 = 7610 (B) · 1082 + 1649 = 2731 (G) · 2230 + 2477 = 4707 (L) · 1560 + 3306 = 4866 (W) · 1881 + 2811 = 4692 (R) · 3739 + 4031 = 7770 (P)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "GUARDS FOUGHT BACK BY POPPING A TIRE"5850 - 2288 = 3562 (G) · 9286 - 3010 = 6276 (R) · 4984 - 134 = 4850 (C) · 9646 - 1876 = 7770 (F) · 8856 - 2897 = 5959 (U) · 9631 - 1303 = 8328 (D) · 9458 - 749 = 8709 (H) · 4774 - 1183 = 3591 (Y) · 9082 - 3738 = 5344 (I) · 7666 - 1493 = 6173 (T) · 8589 - 74 = 8515 (O) · 4304 - 2054 = 2250 (K) · 8794 - 285 = 8509 (N) · 11550 - 3549 = 8001 (B) · 8844 - 2254 = 6590 (E) · 8059 - 2363 = 5696 (A) · 3247 - 1613 = 1634 (P) · 10441 - 4123 = 6318 (S)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "BLUE PAINT WAS LEFT ON THE FENCE"8 × 9 = 72 (B) · 8 × 10 = 80 (A) · 8 × 4 = 32 (U) · 5 × 10 = 50 (C) · 7 × 3 = 21 (F) · 5 × 1 = 5 (E) · 5 × 2 = 10 (L) · 1 × 1 = 1 (O) · 7 × 11 = 77 (I) · 9 × 2 = 18 (T) · 8 × 3 = 24 (S) · 12 × 12 = 144 (N) · 9 × 7 = 63 (P) · 11 × 11 = 121 (H) · 5 × 3 = 15 (W)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 8) → Mabel Mudslinger12 ÷ 3 = 4 · 72 ÷ 6 = 12 · 40 ÷ 8 = 5 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6 · 12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 45 ÷ 5 = 9 · 110 ÷ 10 = 11 · 70 ÷ 7 = 10 · 7 ÷ 1 = 7 · 9 ÷ 9 = 1 · 12 ÷ 6 = 2
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 4 math
- Math topics
- Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- Case of the Demolition Derby Bandit — set in the Thunder Dome dirt arena on championship night
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects