Grade 3Reading: grades 3-4Place valueAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
The Case of the Comet Crook
Someone snuck aboard Orbit-9 and zipped off with the Station Captain. The alarm bells are still ringing in the docking bay. It is up to you to scan the suspects and find the Comet Crook.
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 | Space Power | Ship Trick | Suit Type | Helmet Color | Weak Spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mira Sky | freezes engines | jams radios | girl | blue helmet | bright flashlight |
| Echo Vance | walks through walls | fires tractor beams | girl | red helmet | bright flashlight |
| Comet Jo | freezes engines | warp jumps | girl | red helmet | bright flashlight |
| Cosmo Ray | controls gravity | warp jumps | boy | red helmet | loud buzzer |
| Vega Lee | reads minds | launches space drones | girl | red helmet | sticky foam |
| Pilot Zix | freezes engines | launches space drones | girl | red helmet | loud buzzer |
| Ceres Day | bends starlight | launches space drones | boy | blue helmet | sticky foam |
| Juno Hale | controls gravity | jams radios | boy | red helmet | bright flashlight |
| Aria Dust | controls gravity | cloaks the ship | girl | silver helmet | sticky foam |
| Rex Orbit | bends starlight | cloaks the ship | girl | silver helmet | loud buzzer |
| Luna Park | reads minds | cloaks the ship | girl | blue helmet | sticky foam |
| Astra Kim | controls gravity | launches space drones | girl | blue helmet | bright flashlight |
| Quark Lin | walks through walls | launches space drones | girl | red helmet | loud buzzer |
| Nebula Sue | reads minds | jams radios | girl | red helmet | loud buzzer |
| Rocket Dan | reads minds | jams radios | boy | silver helmet | sticky foam |
| Titan Bo | reads minds | cloaks the ship | girl | blue helmet | bright flashlight |
| Galen Tor | bends starlight | jams radios | boy | silver helmet | bright flashlight |
| Star Pip | reads minds | fires tractor beams | girl | red helmet | loud buzzer |
| Drift Cole | reads minds | fires tractor beams | girl | blue helmet | loud buzzer |
| Astro Mel | controls gravity | cloaks the ship | girl | red helmet | loud buzzer |
| Pluto Max | freezes engines | warp jumps | girl | silver helmet | loud buzzer |
Clue 1
Place value (tens & ones)
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
43
75
69
93
52
25
25
80
52
63
61
80
63
63
96
T
43
61
25
96
80
94
T
43
75
69
54
75
52
40
What number has 4 tens and 3 ones?T
What number has 7 tens and 5 ones?H
What number has 6 tens and 9 ones?E
What number has 9 tens and 3 ones?V
What number has 5 tens and 2 ones?I
What number has 2 tens and 5 ones?L
What number has 8 tens and 0 ones?A
What number has 6 tens and 3 ones?N
What number has 6 tens and 1 one?C
What number has 9 tens and 6 ones?O
What number has 9 tens and 4 ones?K
What number has 5 tens and 4 ones?S
What number has 4 tens and 0 ones?P
0/13 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
A
81
44
48
45
56
39
73
73
73
A
81
44
A
81
82
48
47
65
47
55
56
45
38
45
23
39
72
38
77
41 + 40 =A
19 + 25 =W
16 + 32 =I
24 + 21 =T
18 + 38 =N
17 + 22 =E
28 + 45 =S
51 + 31 =G
25 + 22 =R
43 + 22 =L
29 + 26 =U
12 + 26 =O
13 + 10 =H
36 + 36 =P
35 + 42 =D
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
T
55
65
20
74
53
34
T
55
53
56
26
89
74
53
22
20
51
56
T
55
17
77
77
25
56
T
55
65
53
15
33
18
18
20
22
93 - 38 =T
85 - 20 =H
28 - 8 =E
100 - 26 =C
54 - 1 =A
70 - 36 =P
94 - 38 =I
38 - 12 =N
127 - 38 =S
59 - 37 =R
63 - 12 =D
20 - 3 =O
85 - 8 =F
26 - 1 =W
35 - 20 =B
59 - 26 =U
28 - 10 =Z
0/17 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1–12)
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
A
81
88
132
64
21
132
28
84
132
3
44
21
72
8
10
A
81
60
28
132
77
3
24
40
3
21
132
64
121
121
88
9 × 9 =A
11 × 8 =R
11 × 12 =E
8 × 8 =D
3 × 7 =H
7 × 4 =L
7 × 12 =M
3 × 1 =T
4 × 11 =C
8 × 9 =I
4 × 2 =P
1 × 10 =W
10 × 6 =S
7 × 11 =F
3 × 8 =B
5 × 8 =Y
11 × 11 =O
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1–12) — the last clue
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
10 ÷ 10 = ?
48 ÷ 4 = ?
50 ÷ 5 = ?
35 ÷ 7 = ?
42 ÷ 6 = ?
10 ÷ 5 = ?
48 ÷ 8 = ?
36 ÷ 4 = ?
48 ÷ 6 = ?
33 ÷ 3 = ?
44 ÷ 11 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain reads the crew minds, then jams every radio.
2.The villain walks right through walls, then cloaks the getaway ship.
3.The villain walks right through walls, then launches a swarm of drones.
4.The villain controls the gravity, then jams every radio.
5.The villain bends starlight to hide, then warp jumps away fast.
6.The villain controls the gravity, then grabs pods with tractor beams.
7.The villain reads the crew minds, then cloaks the getaway ship.
8.The villain walks right through walls, then warp jumps away fast.
9.The villain freezes the engines cold, then warp jumps away fast.
10.The villain freezes the engines cold, then launches a swarm of drones.
11.The villain controls the gravity, then warp jumps away fast.
12.The villain reads the crew minds, then grabs pods with tractor beams.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Comet Crook
Culprit: Quark Lin (walks through walls · launches space drones · girl · red helmet · loud buzzer)
- Clue 1 (Place value (tens & ones)): "THE VILLAIN CANNOT CLOAK THE SHIP"What number has 4 tens and 3 ones? = 43 (T) · What number has 7 tens and 5 ones? = 75 (H) · What number has 6 tens and 9 ones? = 69 (E) · What number has 9 tens and 3 ones? = 93 (V) · What number has 5 tens and 2 ones? = 52 (I) · What number has 2 tens and 5 ones? = 25 (L) · What number has 8 tens and 0 ones? = 80 (A) · What number has 6 tens and 3 ones? = 63 (N) · What number has 6 tens and 1 one? = 61 (C) · What number has 9 tens and 6 ones? = 96 (O) · What number has 9 tens and 4 ones? = 94 (K) · What number has 5 tens and 4 ones? = 54 (S) · What number has 4 tens and 0 ones? = 40 (P)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "A WITNESS SAW A GIRL RUN TO THE POD"41 + 40 = 81 (A) · 19 + 25 = 44 (W) · 16 + 32 = 48 (I) · 24 + 21 = 45 (T) · 18 + 38 = 56 (N) · 17 + 22 = 39 (E) · 28 + 45 = 73 (S) · 51 + 31 = 82 (G) · 25 + 22 = 47 (R) · 43 + 22 = 65 (L) · 29 + 26 = 55 (U) · 12 + 26 = 38 (O) · 13 + 10 = 23 (H) · 36 + 36 = 72 (P) · 35 + 42 = 77 (D)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE CAPTAIN SCARED IT OFF WITH A BUZZER"93 - 38 = 55 (T) · 85 - 20 = 65 (H) · 28 - 8 = 20 (E) · 100 - 26 = 74 (C) · 54 - 1 = 53 (A) · 70 - 36 = 34 (P) · 94 - 38 = 56 (I) · 38 - 12 = 26 (N) · 127 - 38 = 89 (S) · 59 - 37 = 22 (R) · 63 - 12 = 51 (D) · 20 - 3 = 17 (O) · 85 - 8 = 77 (F) · 26 - 1 = 25 (W) · 35 - 20 = 15 (B) · 59 - 26 = 33 (U) · 28 - 10 = 18 (Z)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1–12)): "A RED HELMET CHIP WAS LEFT BY THE DOOR"9 × 9 = 81 (A) · 11 × 8 = 88 (R) · 11 × 12 = 132 (E) · 8 × 8 = 64 (D) · 3 × 7 = 21 (H) · 7 × 4 = 28 (L) · 7 × 12 = 84 (M) · 3 × 1 = 3 (T) · 4 × 11 = 44 (C) · 8 × 9 = 72 (I) · 4 × 2 = 8 (P) · 1 × 10 = 10 (W) · 10 × 6 = 60 (S) · 7 × 11 = 77 (F) · 3 × 8 = 24 (B) · 5 × 8 = 40 (Y) · 11 × 11 = 121 (O)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1–12)): surviving statement (box 3) → Quark Lin10 ÷ 10 = 1 · 48 ÷ 4 = 12 · 50 ÷ 5 = 10 · 35 ÷ 7 = 5 · 42 ÷ 6 = 7 · 10 ÷ 5 = 2 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 48 ÷ 6 = 8 · 33 ÷ 3 = 11 · 44 ÷ 11 = 4
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Comet Crook — set in the space station Orbit-9
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects