⚽ SoccerGrade 7Reading: grades 3-4Place valueIntegersPercentagesOrder of operationsTwo-step equations
The Case of the Golden Cleat
Just minutes before the big final, the legendary Golden Cleat went missing from the trophy room! The star striker needs it to play. There are twenty-four soccer players in the building. Can you help our junior detective track down the thief before the whistle blows?
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 Move | Special Trick | Dominant Foot | Style | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Megan Rapinoe | Lightning Sprint | Laser Pass | Right-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Tires in second half |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Lightning Sprint | Giant Header | Left-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| David Beckham | Lightning Sprint | Laser Pass | Left-footed kick | Spiky Red Hair | Tires in second half |
| Bukayo Saka | Mega Volley Kick | Bicycle Kick | Right-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Tires in second half |
| Wendy Winger | Super Goalie Save | Laser Pass | Left-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Distracted by mascot |
| Neymar Jr | Super Goalie Save | Giant Header | Right-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Distracted by mascot |
| Pele | Super Goalie Save | Giant Header | Left-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Distracted by mascot |
| Sam Kerr | Lightning Sprint | Giant Header | Right-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Zinedine Zidane | Mega Volley Kick | Slide Tackle | Right-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Mia Hamm | Lightning Sprint | Diving Header | Right-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Lionel Messi | Super Goalie Save | Giant Header | Left-footed kick | Spiky Red Hair | Tires in second half |
| Son Heung-min | Turbo Dribble | Diving Header | Left-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Tires in second half |
| Clara Cleats | Curving Corner Kick | Giant Header | Left-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Tires in second half |
| Gaby Goalie | Mega Volley Kick | Bicycle Kick | Left-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Mo Salah | Turbo Dribble | Slide Tackle | Right-footed kick | Spiky Red Hair | Tires in second half |
| Sally Striker | Curving Corner Kick | Laser Pass | Right-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Kylian Mbappe | Lightning Sprint | Diving Header | Left-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Danny Dribble | Super Goalie Save | Giant Header | Right-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Erling Haaland | Lightning Sprint | Laser Pass | Right-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Marta | Turbo Dribble | Bicycle Kick | Right-footed kick | Neon Green Headband | Afraid of muddy fields |
| Alex Morgan | Turbo Dribble | Diving Header | Right-footed kick | Sleek Ponytail | Distracted by mascot |
Clue 1
Place value
We checked the digital lock on the locker room door. The lock screen shows a number, but some digits are faded. Let us find the value of the hundreds place to 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.
T
90
40
20
700
8000
5000
5000
500
8000
10
7000
6000
20
30
10
6000
T
90
2000
30
20
T
90
40
20
7000
8000
700
8000
10
4000
40
20
500
7000
20
200
What is the value of the 9 in 48,593?T
What is the value of the 2 in 42,566?U
What is the value of the 3 in 920,834?S
What is the value of the 7 in 882,722?V
What is the value of the 2 in 503,828?E
What is the value of the 2 in 171,277?R
What is the value of the 4 in 609,942?H
What is the value of the 4 in 314,190?G
What is the value of the 5 in 75,979?L
What is the value of the 6 in 476,735?O
What is the value of the 8 in 18,669?I
What is the value of the 7 in 387,635?D
What is the value of the 1 in 435,414?N
What is the value of the 5 in 84,571?A
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Integers
The referee kept track of the team yardage and goal difference during practice. Some drills lost points and some won points. Help us find the final integer score to discover a new 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.
T
27
1
20
11
18
10
3
3
21
10
3
T
27
24
18
8
5
2
10
18
28
11
1
T
27
13
24
24
T
27
29
28
9
29
26 - (-1) =T
(-11) + 16 =B
(-14) + 16 =Y
(-1) + 4 =S
(-14) + 25 =G
(-9) + 10 =H
(-9) + 18 =C
(-14) + 35 =W
(-6) + 19 =F
(-1) + 11 =A
(-8) + 28 =E
(-3) + 11 =N
(-4) + 32 =I
(-4) + 22 =R
21 - (-8) =K
12 - (-12) =O
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Percentages
The stadium big screen shows the possession stats for both teams. One team had a huge chunk of the ball control. Find the exact percentage of playtime to reveal a 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.
T
37
60
51
4
13
10
10
20
13
2
40
20
2
20
12
20
5
54
40
29
26
T
37
60
51
26
30
38
38
5
25
55
29
T
37
50% of 74 =T
25% of 8 =N
20% of 65 =I
20% of 100 =A
60% of 20 =W
5% of 500 =S
75% of 68 =E
10% of 290 =O
50% of 76 =D
50% of 20 =L
50% of 52 =M
20% of 20 =V
25% of 160 =R
60% of 90 =F
20% of 275 =P
40% of 150 =H
10% of 50 =Y
10% of 300 =U
0/18 letters found
Clue 4
Order of operations
Coach Marcus uses a tricky points formula for the daily training drills. We need to solve his math puzzle using the correct order of steps to unlock this 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.
A
56
46
118
111
46
55
10
118
118
46
39
35
10
A
56
43
59
A
56
39
47
118
17
35
111
46
35
18
118
35
81
10
17
10 × 8 - 24 =A
11 + 3 × 2 =F
12 + 2 × 3 =H
5 × 10 - 3 =L
10 × 6 - 17 =P
5 + 6 × 5 =T
10 × 12 - 2 =E
8 × 11 - 7 =U
11 × 11 - 10 =O
30 + 8 × 2 =N
7 + 4 × 8 =S
12 × 5 - 5 =G
3 × 5 - 5 =R
5 × 12 - 1 =W
0/14 letters found
Clue 5
Two-step equations — the last clue
We found a note about the supply bags. Each bag has the same number of cones, plus four extra on the grass. Solve the two-step equation to find the number of cones and get our final 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
3x + 12 = 36, x = ?
5x + 2 = 57, x = ?
2x + 3 = 21, x = ?
5x + 3 = 13, x = ?
3x + 3 = 15, x = ?
5x + 3 = 63, x = ?
6x + 4 = 64, x = ?
3x + 12 = 21, x = ?
3x + 10 = 13, x = ?
5x + 9 = 44, x = ?
2x + 3 = 15, x = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain scored directly from a curving corner kick, then cleared the ball with a giant header.
2.The villain dribbled past everyone at turbo speed, then clinched the win with a diving header.
3.The villain scored directly from a curving corner kick, then clinched the win with a diving header.
4.The villain zipped down the sideline with a lightning sprint, then clinched the win with a diving header.
5.The villain zipped down the sideline with a lightning sprint, then sent a perfect laser pass to the striker.
6.The villain dribbled past everyone at turbo speed, then sent a perfect laser pass to the striker.
7.The villain zipped down the sideline with a lightning sprint, then stopped the counterattack with a slide tackle.
8.The villain zipped down the sideline with a lightning sprint, then cleared the ball with a giant header.
9.The villain scored directly from a curving corner kick, then sent a perfect laser pass to the striker.
10.The villain made an impossible super goalie save, then sent a perfect laser pass to the striker.
11.The villain dribbled past everyone at turbo speed, then scored a spectacular bicycle kick.
12.The villain dribbled past everyone at turbo speed, then cleared the ball with a giant header.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Golden Cleat
Culprit: Erling Haaland (Lightning Sprint · Laser Pass · Right-footed kick · Neon Green Headband · Afraid of muddy fields)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE THE DIVING HEADER"What is the value of the 9 in 48,593? = 90 (T) · What is the value of the 2 in 42,566? = 2000 (U) · What is the value of the 3 in 920,834? = 30 (S) · What is the value of the 7 in 882,722? = 700 (V) · What is the value of the 2 in 503,828? = 20 (E) · What is the value of the 2 in 171,277? = 200 (R) · What is the value of the 4 in 609,942? = 40 (H) · What is the value of the 4 in 314,190? = 4000 (G) · What is the value of the 5 in 75,979? = 5000 (L) · What is the value of the 6 in 476,735? = 6000 (O) · What is the value of the 8 in 18,669? = 8000 (I) · What is the value of the 7 in 387,635? = 7000 (D) · What is the value of the 1 in 435,414? = 10 (N) · What is the value of the 5 in 84,571? = 500 (A)
- Clue 2 (Integers): "THE GRASS WAS TORN BY A RIGHT FOOT KICK"26 - (-1) = 27 (T) · (-11) + 16 = 5 (B) · (-14) + 16 = 2 (Y) · (-1) + 4 = 3 (S) · (-14) + 25 = 11 (G) · (-9) + 10 = 1 (H) · (-9) + 18 = 9 (C) · (-14) + 35 = 21 (W) · (-6) + 19 = 13 (F) · (-1) + 11 = 10 (A) · (-8) + 28 = 20 (E) · (-3) + 11 = 8 (N) · (-4) + 32 = 28 (I) · (-4) + 22 = 18 (R) · 21 - (-8) = 29 (K) · 12 - (-12) = 24 (O)
- Clue 3 (Percentages): "THE VILLAIN RAN AWAY FROM THE MUDDY SPOT"50% of 74 = 37 (T) · 25% of 8 = 2 (N) · 20% of 65 = 13 (I) · 20% of 100 = 20 (A) · 60% of 20 = 12 (W) · 5% of 500 = 25 (S) · 75% of 68 = 51 (E) · 10% of 290 = 29 (O) · 50% of 76 = 38 (D) · 50% of 20 = 10 (L) · 50% of 52 = 26 (M) · 20% of 20 = 4 (V) · 25% of 160 = 40 (R) · 60% of 90 = 54 (F) · 20% of 275 = 55 (P) · 40% of 150 = 60 (H) · 10% of 50 = 5 (Y) · 10% of 300 = 30 (U)
- Clue 4 (Order of operations): "A NEON GREEN STRAP WAS LEFT ON THE TURF"10 × 8 - 24 = 56 (A) · 11 + 3 × 2 = 17 (F) · 12 + 2 × 3 = 18 (H) · 5 × 10 - 3 = 47 (L) · 10 × 6 - 17 = 43 (P) · 5 + 6 × 5 = 35 (T) · 10 × 12 - 2 = 118 (E) · 8 × 11 - 7 = 81 (U) · 11 × 11 - 10 = 111 (O) · 30 + 8 × 2 = 46 (N) · 7 + 4 × 8 = 39 (S) · 12 × 5 - 5 = 55 (G) · 3 × 5 - 5 = 10 (R) · 5 × 12 - 1 = 59 (W)
- Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 5) → Erling Haaland3x + 12 = 36, x = 8 · 5x + 2 = 57, x = 11 · 2x + 3 = 21, x = 9 · 5x + 3 = 13, x = 2 · 3x + 3 = 15, x = 4 · 5x + 3 = 63, x = 12 · 6x + 4 = 64, x = 10 · 3x + 12 = 21, x = 3 · 3x + 10 = 13, x = 1 · 5x + 9 = 44, x = 7 · 2x + 3 = 15, x = 6
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 7 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Integers, Percentages, Order of operations, Two-step equations
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Golden Cleat — set in the packed stands of Championship Stadium
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects