🌊 Mermaids, CatsGrade 6Reading: grades 3-4AdditionSubtractionMultiplicationWord problemsDivision
The Case of the Lost Catnip Pearl
A sneaky mer-cat has snatched the Golden Catnip Pearl from the Grand Clam Shell! The Purrmaid Patrol needs your help to find the culprit before the coral party begins.
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 | Primary Magic | Secondary Skill | Dominant Paw | Mane Color | Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marina | purr chanting | starfish throwing | right pawed | coral pink | bright laser pointer |
| Clawd | tail splashing | tuna sharing | right pawed | sunny yellow | smelly wet food |
| Pearl | purr chanting | tuna sharing | left pawed | seafoam green | bright laser pointer |
| Clawdia | bubble blasting | yarn weaving | left pawed | sunny yellow | smelly wet food |
| Meowly | bubble blasting | yarn weaving | left pawed | seafoam green | smelly wet food |
| Whiskers | claw digging | tuna sharing | right pawed | coral pink | smelly wet food |
| Mew | tail splashing | coral climbing | left pawed | sunny yellow | smelly wet food |
| Barnaby | bubble blasting | tuna sharing | left pawed | sunny yellow | smelly wet food |
| Glimmer | bubble blasting | yarn weaving | right pawed | coral pink | bright laser pointer |
| Finley | purr chanting | coral climbing | right pawed | seafoam green | crinkly foil ball |
| Shelly | whiskers sensing | yarn weaving | right pawed | sunny yellow | crinkly foil ball |
| Bubbles | tail splashing | yarn weaving | left pawed | sunny yellow | bright laser pointer |
| Salty | bubble blasting | shell matching | left pawed | sunny yellow | smelly wet food |
| Neptuna | whiskers sensing | coral climbing | right pawed | coral pink | bright laser pointer |
| Cleo | purr chanting | shell matching | right pawed | coral pink | smelly wet food |
| Splash | bubble blasting | tuna sharing | left pawed | coral pink | crinkly foil ball |
| Waverly | purr chanting | starfish throwing | left pawed | sunny yellow | crinkly foil ball |
| Finny | bubble blasting | yarn weaving | left pawed | coral pink | smelly wet food |
| Sunny | purr chanting | coral climbing | left pawed | sunny yellow | smelly wet food |
| Misty | tail splashing | tuna sharing | left pawed | sunny yellow | crinkly foil ball |
| Sandy | claw digging | yarn weaving | right pawed | sunny yellow | crinkly foil ball |
Clue 1
Addition
We need to tally up all the catnip leaves recovered from the sandy floor. Let's add them together to get 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
3858
9148
8128
7695
2367
2137
4262
6235
7770
T
3858
7695
8046
9078
9078
3532
T
3858
8363
3532
5976
9148
8128
2137
2137
4084
8046
T
3858
7695
9148
7770
9078
2087
1667 + 2191 =T
1973 + 2111 =M
1449 + 2813 =P
970 + 1397 =U
3850 + 2126 =S
3481 + 4882 =D
3003 + 5043 =A
2490 + 5205 =C
1286 + 851 =L
666 + 1421 =G
2918 + 3317 =R
5394 + 2376 =I
3618 + 5530 =H
4415 + 4663 =N
1848 + 1684 =O
4072 + 4056 =E
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
Barnaby had a basket of shiny pearls, but the thief knocked some over! Let's subtract the spilled pearls to see what is left.
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
7204
4920
6285
1695
2206
6285
3337
5167
4923
6730
2639
5399
5399
3337
2639
2206
2639
1695
5399
6285
3814
T
7204
3095
3337
6897
6285
8270
11893 - 4689 =T
11470 - 4740 =V
5618 - 451 =K
4226 - 2531 =S
2459 - 253 =N
8642 - 372 =D
5168 - 248 =H
6403 - 3308 =P
10282 - 3385 =W
6335 - 50 =E
3686 - 349 =A
9472 - 4549 =Y
7531 - 3717 =F
9105 - 3706 =L
5562 - 2923 =I
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The patrol cats swim in neat rows of five. Let's multiply the rows to count the total guards on duty.
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
3
33
42
6
9
42
21
21
50
16
42
T
3
27
2
2
25
25
144
6
T
3
110
28
22
T
3
6
T
3
33
42
35
144
21
21
28
144
63
1 × 3 =T
7 × 5 =V
3 × 9 =F
11 × 3 =H
2 × 3 =S
5 × 5 =D
10 × 5 =Y
1 × 9 =M
11 × 2 =C
3 × 7 =L
11 × 10 =R
2 × 1 =O
4 × 7 =A
12 × 12 =I
2 × 8 =W
7 × 9 =N
7 × 6 =E
0/17 letters found
Clue 4
Word problems
Help the Purrmaid Patrol solve this word puzzle written on a clam shell to uncover the next secret!
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Astrandof hairturnedupatthescene.
S
64
63
20
20
105
105
38
40
40
111
W
Barnaby lined up 8 rows of 8 catnip treats. How many catnip treats in all?S
There were 86 catnip treats. 23 were used up. How many catnip treats are left?U
There were 130 catnip treats. 19 were used up. How many catnip treats are left?O
Barnaby lined up 8 rows of 5 kelp ribbons. How many kelp ribbons in all?L
Barnaby lined up 10 rows of 2 toy mice. How many toy mice in all?N
Barnaby found 87 catnip treats yesterday and 18 more today. How many catnip treats in all?Y
There were 60 pearl beads. 22 were used up. How many pearl beads are left?E
0/7 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The patrol must share their fish treats equally among the friendly sea-snail witnesses. Let's divide them up!
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
54 ÷ 9 = ?
44 ÷ 11 = ?
132 ÷ 11 = ?
5 ÷ 5 = ?
18 ÷ 9 = ?
50 ÷ 10 = ?
21 ÷ 7 = ?
32 ÷ 4 = ?
99 ÷ 11 = ?
90 ÷ 9 = ?
14 ÷ 2 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain splashes their tail to kick up dust, then weaves a yarn net to escape.
2.The villain digs their sharp claws into the sand, then weaves a yarn net to escape.
3.The villain digs their sharp claws into the sand, then throws a glowing starfish as a decoy.
4.The villain sings a purr chant to sleep the guards, then climbs up the sharp coral wall.
5.The villain sings a purr chant to sleep the guards, then matches colorful shells to open a path.
6.The villain blasts bubble magic to open the lock, then shares tuna treats with sea snails.
7.The villain sings a purr chant to sleep the guards, then shares tuna treats with sea snails.
8.The villain splashes their tail to kick up dust, then throws a glowing starfish as a decoy.
9.The villain sings a purr chant to sleep the guards, then weaves a yarn net to escape.
10.The villain digs their sharp claws into the sand, then climbs up the sharp coral wall.
11.The villain blasts bubble magic to open the lock, then weaves a yarn net to escape.
12.The villain splashes their tail to kick up dust, then climbs up the sharp coral wall.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Lost Catnip Pearl
Culprit: Clawdia (bubble blasting · yarn weaving · left pawed · sunny yellow · smelly wet food)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE CULPRIT CANNOT DO SHELL MATCHING"1667 + 2191 = 3858 (T) · 1973 + 2111 = 4084 (M) · 1449 + 2813 = 4262 (P) · 970 + 1397 = 2367 (U) · 3850 + 2126 = 5976 (S) · 3481 + 4882 = 8363 (D) · 3003 + 5043 = 8046 (A) · 2490 + 5205 = 7695 (C) · 1286 + 851 = 2137 (L) · 666 + 1421 = 2087 (G) · 2918 + 3317 = 6235 (R) · 5394 + 2376 = 7770 (I) · 3618 + 5530 = 9148 (H) · 4415 + 4663 = 9078 (N) · 1848 + 1684 = 3532 (O) · 4072 + 4056 = 8128 (E)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE SNEAKY VILLAIN IS LEFT PAWED"11893 - 4689 = 7204 (T) · 11470 - 4740 = 6730 (V) · 5618 - 451 = 5167 (K) · 4226 - 2531 = 1695 (S) · 2459 - 253 = 2206 (N) · 8642 - 372 = 8270 (D) · 5168 - 248 = 4920 (H) · 6403 - 3308 = 3095 (P) · 10282 - 3385 = 6897 (W) · 6335 - 50 = 6285 (E) · 3686 - 349 = 3337 (A) · 9472 - 4549 = 4923 (Y) · 7531 - 3717 = 3814 (F) · 9105 - 3706 = 5399 (L) · 5562 - 2923 = 2639 (I)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE SMELLY WET FOOD DISTRACTS THE VILLAIN"1 × 3 = 3 (T) · 7 × 5 = 35 (V) · 3 × 9 = 27 (F) · 11 × 3 = 33 (H) · 2 × 3 = 6 (S) · 5 × 5 = 25 (D) · 10 × 5 = 50 (Y) · 1 × 9 = 9 (M) · 11 × 2 = 22 (C) · 3 × 7 = 21 (L) · 11 × 10 = 110 (R) · 2 × 1 = 2 (O) · 4 × 7 = 28 (A) · 12 × 12 = 144 (I) · 2 × 8 = 16 (W) · 7 × 9 = 63 (N) · 7 × 6 = 42 (E)
- Clue 4 (Word problems): "SUNNY YELLOW"Barnaby lined up 8 rows of 8 catnip treats. How many catnip treats in all? = 64 (S) · There were 86 catnip treats. 23 were used up. How many catnip treats are left? = 63 (U) · There were 130 catnip treats. 19 were used up. How many catnip treats are left? = 111 (O) · Barnaby lined up 8 rows of 5 kelp ribbons. How many kelp ribbons in all? = 40 (L) · Barnaby lined up 10 rows of 2 toy mice. How many toy mice in all? = 20 (N) · Barnaby found 87 catnip treats yesterday and 18 more today. How many catnip treats in all? = 105 (Y) · There were 60 pearl beads. 22 were used up. How many pearl beads are left? = 38 (E)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 11) → Clawdia54 ÷ 9 = 6 · 44 ÷ 11 = 4 · 132 ÷ 11 = 12 · 5 ÷ 5 = 1 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 50 ÷ 10 = 5 · 21 ÷ 7 = 3 · 32 ÷ 4 = 8 · 99 ÷ 11 = 9 · 90 ÷ 9 = 10 · 14 ÷ 2 = 7
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 6 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Word problems, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Case of the Lost Catnip Pearl — set in Kitty Litter Lagoon
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects