🔎 BooksGrade 8Reading: grades 7-9ExponentsSquare rootsPythagorean theoremOrder of operationsTwo-step equations

The Alexandria Ink-Spire Heist

A mysterious rogue has broken into the Restricted Archives of the Great Alexandria Ink-Spires, mixing up the plots of famous novels and stealing the legendary Golden Quill. We must use our detective skills to identify the suspect before the stories fade away 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 Genre	Enchanted Quill	Writing Hand	Ink Stain Color	Literary Foil
Gaiman	Gothic Horror	Copper Stylus	Right-Handed Writer	Magenta Smudge	Cliché Tropes
Lewis	Classic Drama	Gold Dip Pen	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
Hemingway	Fantasy	Bronze Rollerball	Right-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Plot Holes
Wells	Gothic Horror	Bronze Rollerball	Left-Handed Writer	Cyan Smudge	Cliché Tropes
Dahl	Fantasy	Gold Dip Pen	Right-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Plot Holes
Christie	Sci-Fi	Gold Dip Pen	Right-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
Angelou	Classic Drama	Iron Quill	Right-Handed Writer	Magenta Smudge	Bad Grammar
Morrison	Sci-Fi	Gold Dip Pen	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
Dickens	Fantasy	Copper Stylus	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
King	Mystery	Iron Quill	Left-Handed Writer	Magenta Smudge	Bad Grammar
Twain	Mystery	Iron Quill	Left-Handed Writer	Cyan Smudge	Bad Grammar
Alcott	Mystery	Iron Quill	Right-Handed Writer	Cyan Smudge	Cliché Tropes
Bronte	Fantasy	Copper Stylus	Right-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Cliché Tropes
Fitzgerald	Gothic Horror	Copper Stylus	Right-Handed Writer	Cyan Smudge	Cliché Tropes
Tolkien	Sci-Fi	Copper Stylus	Right-Handed Writer	Cyan Smudge	Cliché Tropes
Orwell	Sci-Fi	Bronze Rollerball	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Plot Holes
Woolf	Classic Drama	Bronze Rollerball	Right-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
Faulkner	Mystery	Copper Stylus	Left-Handed Writer	Cyan Smudge	Bad Grammar
Baldwin	Sci-Fi	Copper Stylus	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
Verne	Classic Drama	Bronze Rollerball	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar
Rowling	Sci-Fi	Iron Quill	Left-Handed Writer	Black Smudge	Bad Grammar

Clue 1

Exponents

To decode the secret vault code, we must study how the corrupted pages multiply. Each minute, the rogue's cursed ink doubles in volume. Calculating the exponential growth of these pages will unlock the first clue.

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

128

343

400

729

256

343

256

343

243

400

256

125

343

169

121

343

3^4 =T

5^3 =R

4^2 =P

8^2 =U

2^2 =E

3^5 =A

20^2 =C

11^2 =L

4^4 =O

13^2 =Y

7^3 =S

3^6 =D

2^5 =N

2^7 =H

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Square roots

The stolen manuscripts were hidden inside a perfectly square storage grid in the archives. By calculating the square root of the grid's total area, we can find the exact shelf number and recover the next piece of evidence.

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

sqrt(324) =T

sqrt(4) =I

sqrt(64) =A

sqrt(144) =R

sqrt(289) =F

sqrt(16) =H

sqrt(36) =O

sqrt(100) =E

sqrt(256) =N

sqrt(9) =S

sqrt(81) =L

sqrt(400) =W

0/12 letters found

Clue 3

Pythagorean theorem

The rogue escaped by climbing a ladder leaned against the giant bookshelf. We know the height of the shelf and the distance from its base. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can find the exact length of the ladder to trace their path.

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

legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse =T

legs 12 and 16, hypotenuse =E

legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse =G

legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse =R

legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse =A

legs 15 and 20, hypotenuse =B

legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse =S

legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse =P

legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse =H

legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse =O

legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =L

legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse =I

legs 5 and 12, hypotenuse =F

legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse =C

legs 60 and 63, hypotenuse =N

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Order of operations

We found a scrambled catalog index left behind by the thief. We must solve the numerical expression in the correct order of operations to decipher the locked message on the screen.

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

110

113

109

102

113

110

111

109

110

82 + 2 × 5 =W

8 + 5 × 5 =B

11 × 12 - 23 =A

10 × 9 - 3 =R

11 × 11 - 11 =E

12 × 9 - 17 =G

10 × 6 - 2 =O

13 + 6 × 2 =C

11 × 3 - 3 =D

84 + 3 × 6 =I

66 + 5 × 9 =P

7 × 9 - 23 =L

12 × 11 - 19 =H

2 + 3 × 3 =K

9 × 8 - 5 =N

11 + 2 × 3 =T

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

The thief loaded several crates of stolen folios onto an airship, leaving twelve loose books behind. To find the total weight of the crates, we must solve a two-step algebraic equation representing the cargo.

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

3x + 3 = 18, x = ?

2x + 12 = 24, x = ?

2x + 3 = 7, x = ?

4x + 12 = 60, x = ?

2x + 11 = 33, x = ?

3x + 3 = 15, x = ?

5x + 4 = 19, x = ?

6x + 7 = 49, x = ?

6x + 12 = 72, x = ?

5x + 4 = 44, x = ?

4x + 11 = 47, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain recites a tragic monologue, then sketches maps with a gold dip pen.

2.The villain projects a neon hologram, then scratches notes with an iron quill.

3.The villain recites a tragic monologue, then engraves runes using a copper stylus.

4.The villain manifests a chilling fog, then scratches notes with an iron quill.

5.The villain projects a neon hologram, then sketches maps with a gold dip pen.

6.The villain recites a tragic monologue, then scribbles quickly with a bronze rollerball.

7.The villain projects a neon hologram, then engraves runes using a copper stylus.

8.The villain leaves behind cryptic riddles, then sketches maps with a gold dip pen.

9.The villain summons a small paper dragon, then scratches notes with an iron quill.

10.The villain leaves behind cryptic riddles, then writes with a shining silver nib.

11.The villain recites a tragic monologue, then writes with a shining silver nib.

12.The villain projects a neon hologram, then writes with a shining silver nib.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Alexandria Ink-Spire Heist

Culprit: Lewis (Classic Drama · Gold Dip Pen · Left-Handed Writer · Black Smudge · Bad Grammar)

Clue 1 (Exponents): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT USE A COPPER STYLUS"
3^4 = 81 (T) · 5^3 = 125 (R) · 4^2 = 16 (P) · 8^2 = 64 (U) · 2^2 = 4 (E) · 3^5 = 243 (A) · 20^2 = 400 (C) · 11^2 = 121 (L) · 4^4 = 256 (O) · 13^2 = 169 (Y) · 7^3 = 343 (S) · 3^6 = 729 (D) · 2^5 = 32 (N) · 2^7 = 128 (H)
Clue 2 (Square roots): "THE NOTE WAS WRITTEN WITH A LEFT TILT"
sqrt(324) = 18 (T) · sqrt(4) = 2 (I) · sqrt(64) = 8 (A) · sqrt(144) = 12 (R) · sqrt(289) = 17 (F) · sqrt(16) = 4 (H) · sqrt(36) = 6 (O) · sqrt(100) = 10 (E) · sqrt(256) = 16 (N) · sqrt(9) = 3 (S) · sqrt(81) = 9 (L) · sqrt(400) = 20 (W)
Clue 3 (Pythagorean theorem): "THE FOE CRINGES AT TERRIBLE SPELLING"
legs 32 and 60, hypotenuse = 68 (T) · legs 12 and 16, hypotenuse = 20 (E) · legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse = 29 (G) · legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse = 52 (R) · legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse = 17 (A) · legs 15 and 20, hypotenuse = 25 (B) · legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse = 34 (S) · legs 9 and 40, hypotenuse = 41 (P) · legs 40 and 75, hypotenuse = 85 (H) · legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse = 82 (O) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (L) · legs 24 and 70, hypotenuse = 74 (I) · legs 5 and 12, hypotenuse = 13 (F) · legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse = 39 (C) · legs 60 and 63, hypotenuse = 87 (N)
Clue 4 (Order of operations): "WE DETECTED CHARCOAL BLACK INK ON THE PAGE"
82 + 2 × 5 = 92 (W) · 8 + 5 × 5 = 33 (B) · 11 × 12 - 23 = 109 (A) · 10 × 9 - 3 = 87 (R) · 11 × 11 - 11 = 110 (E) · 12 × 9 - 17 = 91 (G) · 10 × 6 - 2 = 58 (O) · 13 + 6 × 2 = 25 (C) · 11 × 3 - 3 = 30 (D) · 84 + 3 × 6 = 102 (I) · 66 + 5 × 9 = 111 (P) · 7 × 9 - 23 = 40 (L) · 12 × 11 - 19 = 113 (H) · 2 + 3 × 3 = 11 (K) · 9 × 8 - 5 = 67 (N) · 11 + 2 × 3 = 17 (T)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 1) → Lewis
3x + 3 = 18, x = 5 · 2x + 12 = 24, x = 6 · 2x + 3 = 7, x = 2 · 4x + 12 = 60, x = 12 · 2x + 11 = 33, x = 11 · 3x + 3 = 15, x = 4 · 5x + 4 = 19, x = 3 · 6x + 7 = 49, x = 7 · 6x + 12 = 72, x = 10 · 5x + 4 = 44, x = 8 · 4x + 11 = 47, x = 9

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 8 math
Math topics: Exponents, Square roots, Pythagorean theorem, Order of operations, Two-step equations
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Alexandria Ink-Spire Heist — set in The Great Alexandria Ink-Spires, a massive floating library where classic novels come to life
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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