🚀 Space piratesGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
The Case of the Golden Spatula
The Golden Space-Spatula has disappeared from the Astro-Kitchen! A sneaky space pirate took it. We need to find out who did it before they escape the Nebula Sector.
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 | Steering Skill | Space Gear | Pirate Type | Space Hair Color | Astro Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astro Anna | engine fixing | gravity boots | Space Boy | Neon Purple | giant magnets |
| Orbiting Olga | stew stirring | rocket jetpack | Space Girl | Solar Orange | space sickness |
| Pulsar Pete | stew stirring | gravity boots | Space Boy | Cosmic Green | giant magnets |
| Rusty Rocket | engine fixing | laser lasso | Space Boy | Cosmic Green | giant magnets |
| Sputnik Sally | laser piloting | bubble shield | Space Boy | Cosmic Green | space sickness |
| Barnacle Bob | engine fixing | rocket jetpack | Space Boy | Neon Purple | giant magnets |
| Cosmic Carla | map reading | glow belt | Space Boy | Neon Purple | giant magnets |
| Shadow Sid | blaster aiming | bubble shield | Space Boy | Solar Orange | sticky honey |
| Nova Ned | laser piloting | glow belt | Space Girl | Cosmic Green | sticky honey |
| Galaxy Gwen | stew stirring | bubble shield | Space Boy | Solar Orange | space sickness |
| Nebula Nick | stew stirring | glow belt | Space Boy | Neon Purple | giant magnets |
| Starlight Sam | stew stirring | laser lasso | Space Girl | Neon Purple | giant magnets |
| Laser Lucy | engine fixing | laser lasso | Space Boy | Neon Purple | giant magnets |
| Orion Orbit | map reading | bubble shield | Space Girl | Neon Purple | sticky honey |
| Jetpack Jack | laser piloting | rocket jetpack | Space Girl | Solar Orange | space sickness |
| Meteor Molly | blaster aiming | rocket jetpack | Space Boy | Neon Purple | sticky honey |
| Comet Chris | map reading | laser lasso | Space Boy | Solar Orange | giant magnets |
| Warp-Drive Will | stew stirring | glow belt | Space Boy | Cosmic Green | giant magnets |
| Zippy Zoe | engine fixing | glow belt | Space Boy | Solar Orange | giant magnets |
| Star-Dust Sue | engine fixing | bubble shield | Space Boy | Neon Purple | sticky honey |
| Gravity Greg | stew stirring | rocket jetpack | Space Girl | Neon Purple | space sickness |
Clue 1
Rounding
Your radar scanner shows the target coordinates. The screen rounds the distance to the nearest ten to keep it simple. Let us round the numbers to read 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
50
400
T
90
50
600
400
2000
800
70
400
900
20
70
T
90
80
400
200
8000
200
4000
400
T
90
7000
200
3000
300
Round 89 to the nearest tenT
Round 3,308 to the nearest thousandC
Round 570 to the nearest hundredI
Round 894 to the nearest hundredS
Round 21 to the nearest tenN
Round 281 to the nearest hundredK
Round 67 to the nearest tenO
Round 80 to the nearest tenW
Round 779 to the nearest hundredD
Round 50 to the nearest tenH
Round 448 to the nearest hundredE
Round 7,970 to the nearest thousandR
Round 4,242 to the nearest thousandJ
Round 194 to the nearest hundredA
Round 2,111 to the nearest thousandF
Round 7,080 to the nearest thousandP
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
The Astro-Chef counts his missing golden pots. He adds the pans and the kettles together on his notepad. This sum reveals a new clue about the thief.
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
793
975
513
424
839
316
966
966
966
A
793
975
A
793
844
920
901
586
513
949
A
793
424
316
949
568
839
839
513
839
318
238 + 555 =A
194 + 374 =U
335 + 631 =S
183 + 241 =T
310 + 610 =O
360 + 541 =Y
125 + 193 =G
360 + 153 =I
214 + 102 =E
404 + 545 =R
431 + 408 =N
283 + 303 =P
292 + 552 =B
389 + 586 =W
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
The ship fuel tank is leaking purple liquid into space. If we subtract the spilled fuel from the full tank, we can find the hidden clue 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.
A
334
304
617
326
264
828
776
232
A
334
776
828
244
617
617
326
A
334
814
814
244
471
617
500
244
723
857
495
495
A
334
857
828
423 - 89 =A
430 - 198 =M
928 - 311 =T
833 - 19 =P
681 - 210 =D
609 - 345 =O
469 - 225 =E
723 - 228 =L
836 - 8 =N
955 - 179 =G
916 - 193 =V
825 - 325 =H
684 - 358 =R
625 - 321 =S
918 - 61 =I
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We find rows of storage crates stacked in the cargo hold. By multiplying the rows of crates by the columns, we can unlock the security safe.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
W
5
108
60
72
96
81
80
100
90
72
W
5
32
81
100
56
96
11
56
90
108
70
144
32
11
5 × 1 =W
9 × 9 =N
9 × 10 =L
10 × 7 =H
10 × 6 =F
10 × 8 =D
7 × 8 =P
11 × 1 =R
4 × 8 =I
12 × 12 =A
8 × 12 =U
10 × 10 =G
12 × 6 =O
12 × 9 =E
0/14 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The crew needs to share the energy cells equally among the crew cabins. When we divide the cells, we find the last clue written on the box.
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
6 ÷ 2 = ?
12 ÷ 1 = ?
110 ÷ 10 = ?
2 ÷ 2 = ?
16 ÷ 4 = ?
40 ÷ 5 = ?
55 ÷ 11 = ?
2 ÷ 1 = ?
110 ÷ 11 = ?
84 ÷ 12 = ?
42 ÷ 7 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain points the ship toward the secret base, then blasts away using a rocket jetpack.
2.The villain fires the ship lasers at a target, then blasts away using a rocket jetpack.
3.The villain fixes the broken warp drive, then walks on the ceiling with gravity boots.
4.The villain fixes the broken warp drive, then hides inside a bouncy bubble shield.
5.The villain points the ship toward the secret base, then snatches loot with a laser lasso.
6.The villain steers the pirate ship through asteroids, then snatches loot with a laser lasso.
7.The villain steers the pirate ship through asteroids, then hides inside a bouncy bubble shield.
8.The villain points the ship toward the secret base, then walks on the ceiling with gravity boots.
9.The villain fixes the broken warp drive, then snatches loot with a laser lasso.
10.The villain fires the ship lasers at a target, then walks on the ceiling with gravity boots.
11.The villain cooks smelly cabbage space soup, then lights up the dark corridor with a glow belt.
12.The villain points the ship toward the secret base, then lights up the dark corridor with a glow belt.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Golden Spatula
Culprit: Laser Lucy (engine fixing · laser lasso · Space Boy · Neon Purple · giant magnets)
- Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE THIEF DOES NOT WEAR A JETPACK"Round 89 to the nearest ten = 90 (T) · Round 3,308 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (C) · Round 570 to the nearest hundred = 600 (I) · Round 894 to the nearest hundred = 900 (S) · Round 21 to the nearest ten = 20 (N) · Round 281 to the nearest hundred = 300 (K) · Round 67 to the nearest ten = 70 (O) · Round 80 to the nearest ten = 80 (W) · Round 779 to the nearest hundred = 800 (D) · Round 50 to the nearest ten = 50 (H) · Round 448 to the nearest hundred = 400 (E) · Round 7,970 to the nearest thousand = 8000 (R) · Round 4,242 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (J) · Round 194 to the nearest hundred = 200 (A) · Round 2,111 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (F) · Round 7,080 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (P)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "A WITNESS SAW A BOY PIRATE RUNNING"238 + 555 = 793 (A) · 194 + 374 = 568 (U) · 335 + 631 = 966 (S) · 183 + 241 = 424 (T) · 310 + 610 = 920 (O) · 360 + 541 = 901 (Y) · 125 + 193 = 318 (G) · 360 + 153 = 513 (I) · 214 + 102 = 316 (E) · 404 + 545 = 949 (R) · 431 + 408 = 839 (N) · 283 + 303 = 586 (P) · 292 + 552 = 844 (B) · 389 + 586 = 975 (W)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "A STRONG MAGNET TRAPPED THE VILLAIN"423 - 89 = 334 (A) · 430 - 198 = 232 (M) · 928 - 311 = 617 (T) · 833 - 19 = 814 (P) · 681 - 210 = 471 (D) · 609 - 345 = 264 (O) · 469 - 225 = 244 (E) · 723 - 228 = 495 (L) · 836 - 8 = 828 (N) · 955 - 179 = 776 (G) · 916 - 193 = 723 (V) · 825 - 325 = 500 (H) · 684 - 358 = 326 (R) · 625 - 321 = 304 (S) · 918 - 61 = 857 (I)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WE FOUND GLOWING PURPLE HAIR"5 × 1 = 5 (W) · 9 × 9 = 81 (N) · 9 × 10 = 90 (L) · 10 × 7 = 70 (H) · 10 × 6 = 60 (F) · 10 × 8 = 80 (D) · 7 × 8 = 56 (P) · 11 × 1 = 11 (R) · 4 × 8 = 32 (I) · 12 × 12 = 144 (A) · 8 × 12 = 96 (U) · 10 × 10 = 100 (G) · 12 × 6 = 72 (O) · 12 × 9 = 108 (E)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 9) → Laser Lucy6 ÷ 2 = 3 · 12 ÷ 1 = 12 · 110 ÷ 10 = 11 · 2 ÷ 2 = 1 · 16 ÷ 4 = 4 · 40 ÷ 5 = 8 · 55 ÷ 11 = 5 · 2 ÷ 1 = 2 · 110 ÷ 11 = 10 · 84 ÷ 12 = 7 · 42 ÷ 7 = 6
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Golden Spatula — set in The Nebula Sector aboard the Star-Clipper pirate ship
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects