🔎 Thriller moviesGrade 6Reading: grades 7-9AdditionMultiplicationSubtractionRoundingDivision

Sabotage on the Suspense Set

An anonymous saboteur is terrorizing the set of Hollywood's highly anticipated noir thriller, 'Midnight Shadow.' Props are vanishing, scripts are being rewritten with bizarre plot twists, and the master film reels have been scrambled. The director has called in you, the studio's premier detective, to piece together the clues before the premiere is ruined forever.

Suspects

Possible suspects

Cross off a row as each clue rules it out. On screen, tap a row.

21 of 21 still in play

Name	Signature Technique	Key Prop	Storyboard Hand	Disguise Wig	Director Phobia
Craven	Shadow Play	Fake Blood Canister	Right-Handed Sketches	Slicked Back Black	Fear of Heights
Park	Slow Motion	Vintage Camera	Left-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Birds
Sofia	Slow Motion	Vintage Camera	Left-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Crowds
Spielberg	Dutch Angle	Golden Key	Left-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Crowds
Polanski	Jump Scare	Golden Key	Right-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Heights
Bong	Jump Scare	Vintage Camera	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Heights
Alfred	Shadow Play	Fake Blood Canister	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Birds
Wan	Plot Twist	Fake Blood Canister	Right-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Birds
Nolan	Slow Motion	Rotary Phone	Right-Handed Sketches	Slicked Back Black	Fear of Birds
Carpenter	Dutch Angle	Vintage Camera	Right-Handed Sketches	Slicked Back Black	Fear of Crowds
Shyamalan	Jump Scare	Fake Blood Canister	Left-Handed Sketches	Slicked Back Black	Fear of Crowds
Guillermo	Shadow Play	Vintage Camera	Right-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Crowds
Fritz	Shadow Play	Fake Blood Canister	Right-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Heights
De Palma	Plot Twist	Vintage Camera	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Birds
Orson	Slow Motion	Spooky Music Box	Right-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Birds
Greta	Dutch Angle	Fake Blood Canister	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Birds
Stanley	Slow Motion	Spooky Music Box	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Birds
Fincher	Slow Motion	Rotary Phone	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Birds
Lynch	Jump Scare	Golden Key	Right-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Birds
Bigelow	Plot Twist	Fake Blood Canister	Left-Handed Sketches	Platinum Blonde	Fear of Crowds
Wright	Slow Motion	Rotary Phone	Right-Handed Sketches	Messy Auburn	Fear of Heights

Clue 1

Addition

The editor needs to tally all the film canisters arriving from the daily shoots. Adding the morning deliveries to the afternoon shipments reveals the cabinet lock code.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

9757

5274

8827

3185

9800

3185

9422

8827

8012

9757

6836

4532

8827

3185

2364

4532

9757

8012

2899

7444

7584

2899

3185

9422

4532

5460

7584

8383

9800

3185

7975

8012

3098

4532

6383

5975 + 3782 =T

3586 + 4389 =I

1852 + 3422 =H

3438 + 2022 =K

5830 + 2553 =M

3940 + 5482 =P

1499 + 1599 =B

3107 + 3729 =D

4428 + 3016 =R

2156 + 2376 =O

1127 + 2058 =S

1795 + 1104 =A

4502 + 4325 =E

4745 + 3267 =C

3347 + 6453 =U

3015 + 3368 =X

4372 + 3212 =Y

1504 + 860 =N

0/18 letters found

Clue 2

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The stage manager is organizing promotional posters stored in equal rows on the wall. Multiplying the rows by the posters in each row gives us the master key number.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

120

100

108

100

132

121

120

12 × 10 =L

10 × 3 =N

10 × 8 =F

11 × 11 =R

11 × 12 =W

7 × 3 =T

5 × 3 =K

9 × 12 =D

10 × 10 =H

2 × 9 =C

9 × 9 =S

9 × 7 =A

11 × 7 =E

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

A frantic rewrite left a trail of discarded script pages across the soundstage. Subtracting the shredded pages from the original draft count reveals the hidden locker combo.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

1632

4687

4540

7732

4558

7732

2515

4540

7871

1632

7732

4687

4558

8421

4540

5134

1632

4687

4540

2515

7741

4323

4540

1293

8421

4540

8421

7871

8401

1293

7732

4558

2501

4540

4273 - 2641 =T

11406 - 3674 =S

9437 - 4897 =E

8803 - 382 =N

9435 - 1564 =C

7491 - 2804 =H

4633 - 3340 =O

5351 - 2850 =R

9021 - 620 =L

3317 - 802 =P

5324 - 766 =U

7996 - 3673 =G

8819 - 1078 =I

9028 - 3894 =D

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Rounding

To hide the production expenses from the studio heads, the line producer rounds the exact camera rental budget to the nearest thousand dollars on the ledger.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

900

9000

3700

500

290

7000

300

3700

370

290

370

130

200

5000

130

1700

700

5000

7000

9000

3700

370

290

200

9000

900

5000

1700

Round 30 to the nearest tenB

Round 273 to the nearest hundredY

Round 185 to the nearest hundredC

Round 8,521 to the nearest thousandO

Round 4,835 to the nearest thousandA

Round 515 to the nearest hundredD

Round 3,711 to the nearest hundredN

Round 22 to the nearest tenH

Round 735 to the nearest hundredW

Round 880 to the nearest hundredL

Round 292 to the nearest tenE

Round 366 to the nearest tenT

Round 6,535 to the nearest thousandS

Round 126 to the nearest tenI

Round 1,654 to the nearest hundredR

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

The head of security must distribute walkie-talkies evenly among the security teams. Dividing the total inventory by the number of active crews reveals the broadcast channel.

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!

Step 1 — solve these

56 ÷ 8 = ?

60 ÷ 5 = ?

48 ÷ 8 = ?

120 ÷ 12 = ?

45 ÷ 9 = ?

12 ÷ 4 = ?

8 ÷ 2 = ?

5 ÷ 5 = ?

18 ÷ 9 = ?

40 ÷ 5 = ?

99 ÷ 9 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain slows down time with an eerie slow motion sequence, then winds up a creepy spooky music box.

2.The villain slows down time with an eerie slow motion sequence, then locks the stage door with a heavy golden key.

3.The villain executes a shocking mid-act plot twist, then cuts the wire of a vintage rotary phone.

4.The villain casts an ominous silhouette with dramatic shadow play, then blinds the witness with a vintage camera flash.

5.The villain slows down time with an eerie slow motion sequence, then blinds the witness with a vintage camera flash.

6.The villain executes a shocking mid-act plot twist, then blinds the witness with a vintage camera flash.

7.The villain slows down time with an eerie slow motion sequence, then cuts the wire of a vintage rotary phone.

8.The villain slows down time with an eerie slow motion sequence, then splashes a canister of fake blood across the set.

9.The villain casts an ominous silhouette with dramatic shadow play, then splashes a canister of fake blood across the set.

10.The villain initiates an abrupt jump scare, then blinds the witness with a vintage camera flash.

11.The villain tilts the camera into a steep Dutch angle, then splashes a canister of fake blood across the set.

12.The villain initiates an abrupt jump scare, then splashes a canister of fake blood across the set.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — Sabotage on the Suspense Set

Culprit: Alfred (Shadow Play · Fake Blood Canister · Left-Handed Sketches · Platinum Blonde · Fear of Birds)

Clue 1 (Addition): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT CARRY A SPOOKY MUSIC BOX"
5975 + 3782 = 9757 (T) · 3586 + 4389 = 7975 (I) · 1852 + 3422 = 5274 (H) · 3438 + 2022 = 5460 (K) · 5830 + 2553 = 8383 (M) · 3940 + 5482 = 9422 (P) · 1499 + 1599 = 3098 (B) · 3107 + 3729 = 6836 (D) · 4428 + 3016 = 7444 (R) · 2156 + 2376 = 4532 (O) · 1127 + 2058 = 3185 (S) · 1795 + 1104 = 2899 (A) · 4502 + 4325 = 8827 (E) · 4745 + 3267 = 8012 (C) · 3347 + 6453 = 9800 (U) · 3015 + 3368 = 6383 (X) · 4372 + 3212 = 7584 (Y) · 1504 + 860 = 2364 (N)
Clue 2 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "LEFT HANDED SKETCHES WERE LEFT AT SCENE"
12 × 10 = 120 (L) · 10 × 3 = 30 (N) · 10 × 8 = 80 (F) · 11 × 11 = 121 (R) · 11 × 12 = 132 (W) · 7 × 3 = 21 (T) · 5 × 3 = 15 (K) · 9 × 12 = 108 (D) · 10 × 10 = 100 (H) · 2 × 9 = 18 (C) · 9 × 9 = 81 (S) · 9 × 7 = 63 (A) · 11 × 7 = 77 (E)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE SUSPECT SHUNNED THE PIGEON ENCLOSURE"
4273 - 2641 = 1632 (T) · 11406 - 3674 = 7732 (S) · 9437 - 4897 = 4540 (E) · 8803 - 382 = 8421 (N) · 9435 - 1564 = 7871 (C) · 7491 - 2804 = 4687 (H) · 4633 - 3340 = 1293 (O) · 5351 - 2850 = 2501 (R) · 9021 - 620 = 8401 (L) · 3317 - 802 = 2515 (P) · 5324 - 766 = 4558 (U) · 7996 - 3673 = 4323 (G) · 8819 - 1078 = 7741 (I) · 9028 - 3894 = 5134 (D)
Clue 4 (Rounding): "BLONDE SYNTHETIC HAIR WAS ON THE COLLAR"
Round 30 to the nearest ten = 30 (B) · Round 273 to the nearest hundred = 300 (Y) · Round 185 to the nearest hundred = 200 (C) · Round 8,521 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (O) · Round 4,835 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (A) · Round 515 to the nearest hundred = 500 (D) · Round 3,711 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (N) · Round 22 to the nearest ten = 20 (H) · Round 735 to the nearest hundred = 700 (W) · Round 880 to the nearest hundred = 900 (L) · Round 292 to the nearest ten = 290 (E) · Round 366 to the nearest ten = 370 (T) · Round 6,535 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (S) · Round 126 to the nearest ten = 130 (I) · Round 1,654 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (R)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 9) → Alfred
56 ÷ 8 = 7 · 60 ÷ 5 = 12 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 120 ÷ 12 = 10 · 45 ÷ 9 = 5 · 12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 8 ÷ 2 = 4 · 5 ÷ 5 = 1 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 40 ÷ 5 = 8 · 99 ÷ 9 = 11

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 6 math
Math topics: Addition, Multiplication, Subtraction, Rounding, Division
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: Sabotage on the Suspense Set — set in A dimly lit classic Hollywood movie studio during the filming of a noir thriller
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

More free printable math mysteries

6th grade worksheets Addition worksheets Subtraction worksheets Multiplication worksheets Division worksheets Rounding worksheets All worksheets →

The Case of the Missing Championship Hoop

Grade 6

The Championship Glitch

Grade 6

The Mystery of the Golden Spyglass

Grade 6

The Spawn Castle Griefing

Grade 6