🚀 Space explorersGrade 2Reading: grades 3-4Place valueAdditionSubtractionSkip countingMissing addends
The Case of the Cosmic Caper
The Galactic Gems, the universe's most dazzling treasures, have been stolen from the Starport Museum! As ace Space Detectives, you must explore the starport, question the suspects, and find the sneaky space pirate before they zoom away.
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 | Star Power | Gadget | Observation | Cosmic Style | Alien Allergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scout Galaxy | Gravity Grip | Invisibility Cloak | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Commander Jax | Warp Speed | Rocket Boots | Wore a helmet | Rainbow streaks | Space dust |
| Ambassador Solaris | Gravity Grip | Teleportation Device | Carried a space blaster | Sparkling silver | High-pitched noises |
| Engineer Nebula | Laser Focus | Shield Generator | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Professor Quasar | Laser Focus | Rocket Boots | Wore a helmet | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Dr. Astra | Gravity Grip | Teleportation Device | Carried a space blaster | Neon green | High-pitched noises |
| Scientist Sunbeam | Sonic Blast | Rocket Boots | Wore a helmet | Neon green | Alien fruit |
| Spy Stardust | Warp Speed | Shield Generator | Wore a helmet | Neon green | Alien fruit |
| Captain Comet Tail | Gravity Grip | Teleportation Device | Wore a helmet | Sparkling silver | Alien fruit |
| Captain Stella | Gravity Grip | Tractor Beam | Wore a helmet | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Navigator Orion | Gravity Grip | Tractor Beam | Carried a space blaster | Sparkling silver | Alien fruit |
| Medic Aurora | Laser Focus | Invisibility Cloak | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Envoy Zenith | Gravity Grip | Rocket Boots | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | High-pitched noises |
| Pilot Comet | Sonic Blast | Rocket Boots | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Navigator Sky Runner | Sonic Blast | Tractor Beam | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
| Scientist Pulsar | Force Field | Shield Generator | Wore a helmet | Sparkling silver | High-pitched noises |
| Ranger Cosmos | Warp Speed | Tractor Beam | Carried a space blaster | Rainbow streaks | Space dust |
| Pilot Star Hopper | Sonic Blast | Tractor Beam | Carried a space blaster | Neon green | High-pitched noises |
| Agent Starbright | Warp Speed | Teleportation Device | Wore a helmet | Neon green | Space dust |
| Ranger Meteor | Laser Focus | Teleportation Device | Carried a space blaster | Neon green | Alien fruit |
| Engineer Moon Dust | Gravity Grip | Rocket Boots | Wore a helmet | Rainbow streaks | Alien fruit |
Clue 1
Place value (tens & ones)
The first suspect's ship computer logs were recovered. The security system uses a special code based on the ship's registration number, but some digits are scrambled. The detective needs to figure out which digit is in which place to get the 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.
T
64
96
80
T
64
96
90
47
87
59
12
45
87
T
64
80
12
87
59
12
45
90
12
80
87
59
99
80
45
58
71
71
80
99
80
12
T
64
What number has 6 tens and 4 ones?T
What number has 4 tens and 7 ones?U
What number has 8 tens and 7 ones?S
What number has 7 tens and 1 one?F
What number has 8 tens and 0 ones?E
What number has 9 tens and 6 ones?H
What number has 5 tens and 9 ones?A
What number has 4 tens and 5 ones?D
What number has 9 tens and 0 ones?O
What number has 5 tens and 8 ones?I
What number has 1 ten and 2 ones?N
What number has 9 tens and 9 ones?R
0/12 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
The space pirate left behind a crate of tools. The detective counted the tools in each compartment to see how many there were in total.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
92
91
66
63
63
94
70
28
38
63
65
72
S
92
91
72
36
94
54
32
72
S
92
63
94
90
61 + 31 =S
41 + 53 =E
35 + 56 =P
19 + 19 =I
38 + 34 =A
12 + 24 =C
44 + 21 =H
12 + 16 =W
27 + 63 =R
13 + 19 =L
26 + 37 =T
23 + 47 =D
22 + 44 =O
28 + 26 =B
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
The space pirate tried to escape through the air vents, but got stuck! The detective measured how far the pirate squeezed into the vent before getting wedged.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
C
75
55
81
29
78
50
59
67
50
69
15
27
78
50
69
86
16
50
67
84
15
81
16
27
90 - 15 =C
110 - 32 =H
94 - 13 =U
69 - 40 =G
77 - 22 =O
107 - 21 =L
44 - 28 =I
38 - 11 =T
81 - 12 =A
83 - 33 =E
41 - 26 =R
109 - 25 =F
72 - 5 =N
84 - 25 =D
0/14 letters found
Clue 4
Skip counting
A trail of space snacks was found leading away from the museum. The detective counted the snacks by skipping every other one to see how many were left behind.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
R
100
90
27
9
110
26
65
21
90
27
R
100
60
8
140
15
120
12
60
30
140
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, ___, 110, 120R
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110A
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, ___, 70, 80D
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, ___, 30, 33I
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, ___, 28, 30O
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, ___, 20, 25S
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, ___, 130, 140M
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, ___, 40, 50G
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10, 12Y
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, ___, 12, 15N
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ___, 14, 16U
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, ___, 150, 160E
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, ___, 120, 130B
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, ___, 24, 27H
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, ___, 70, 75W
0/15 letters found
Clue 5
Missing addends — the last clue
The space pirate needed to share the stolen gems equally among their crew. The detective found a note showing how many gems were stolen and how many crew members there were, but the number of gems per pirate was smudged.
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 + ___ = 12
5 + ___ = 6
2 + ___ = 14
8 + ___ = 19
1 + ___ = 9
1 + ___ = 8
10 + ___ = 14
5 + ___ = 15
8 + ___ = 11
10 + ___ = 19
8 + ___ = 13
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain phased, then boosted.
2.The villain grabbed, then zapped.
3.The villain phased, then zapped.
4.The villain boosted, then teleported.
5.The villain zapped, then boosted.
6.The villain phased, then phased.
7.The villain grabbed, then teleported.
8.The villain teleported, then boosted.
9.The villain grabbed, then boosted.
10.The villain boosted, then phased.
11.The villain zapped, then grabbed.
12.The villain boosted, then zapped.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Cosmic Caper
Culprit: Pilot Comet (Sonic Blast · Rocket Boots · Carried a space blaster · Rainbow streaks · Alien fruit)
- Clue 1 (Place value (tens & ones)): "THE THOUSANDS TENS AND ONES ARE DIFFERENT"What number has 6 tens and 4 ones? = 64 (T) · What number has 4 tens and 7 ones? = 47 (U) · What number has 8 tens and 7 ones? = 87 (S) · What number has 7 tens and 1 one? = 71 (F) · What number has 8 tens and 0 ones? = 80 (E) · What number has 9 tens and 6 ones? = 96 (H) · What number has 5 tens and 9 ones? = 59 (A) · What number has 4 tens and 5 ones? = 45 (D) · What number has 9 tens and 0 ones? = 90 (O) · What number has 5 tens and 8 ones? = 58 (I) · What number has 1 ten and 2 ones? = 12 (N) · What number has 9 tens and 9 ones? = 99 (R)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "SPOTTED WITH A SPACE BLASTER"61 + 31 = 92 (S) · 41 + 53 = 94 (E) · 35 + 56 = 91 (P) · 19 + 19 = 38 (I) · 38 + 34 = 72 (A) · 12 + 24 = 36 (C) · 44 + 21 = 65 (H) · 12 + 16 = 28 (W) · 27 + 63 = 90 (R) · 13 + 19 = 32 (L) · 26 + 37 = 63 (T) · 23 + 47 = 70 (D) · 22 + 44 = 66 (O) · 28 + 26 = 54 (B)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "COUGHED NEAR THE ALIEN FRUIT"90 - 15 = 75 (C) · 110 - 32 = 78 (H) · 94 - 13 = 81 (U) · 69 - 40 = 29 (G) · 77 - 22 = 55 (O) · 107 - 21 = 86 (L) · 44 - 28 = 16 (I) · 38 - 11 = 27 (T) · 81 - 12 = 69 (A) · 83 - 33 = 50 (E) · 41 - 26 = 15 (R) · 109 - 25 = 84 (F) · 72 - 5 = 67 (N) · 84 - 25 = 59 (D)
- Clue 4 (Skip counting): "RAINBOW HAIR DYE SMUDGE"Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, ___, 110, 120 = 100 (R) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110 = 90 (A) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, ___, 70, 80 = 60 (D) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, ___, 30, 33 = 27 (I) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, ___, 28, 30 = 26 (O) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, ___, 20, 25 = 15 (S) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, ___, 130, 140 = 120 (M) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, ___, 40, 50 = 30 (G) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10, 12 = 8 (Y) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, ___, 12, 15 = 9 (N) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ___, 14, 16 = 12 (U) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, ___, 150, 160 = 140 (E) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, ___, 120, 130 = 110 (B) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, ___, 24, 27 = 21 (H) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, ___, 70, 75 = 65 (W)
- Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 6) → Pilot Comet10 + ___ = 12 = 2 · 5 + ___ = 6 = 1 · 2 + ___ = 14 = 12 · 8 + ___ = 19 = 11 · 1 + ___ = 9 = 8 · 1 + ___ = 8 = 7 · 10 + ___ = 14 = 4 · 5 + ___ = 15 = 10 · 8 + ___ = 11 = 3 · 10 + ___ = 19 = 9 · 8 + ___ = 13 = 5
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 2 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Addition, Subtraction, Skip counting, Missing addends
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Cosmic Caper — set in The bustling Starport of Nebula Nine
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects