🏀 BasketballGrade 1Reading: grades 1-2AdditionSubtractionSkip countingPlace valueMissing addends
The Case of the Missing Championship Ball
The golden ball is gone from the trophy case! The Arena Mascot saw a sneaky shadow run across the court. We must find the Hoop Bandit before the final buzzer!
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 | special move | lucky gear | shooting hand | head wear | game distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin | half court buzzer beater | sticky gloves | right handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Dame | half court buzzer beater | super bounce ball | right handed shooter | blue headband | squeaky shoes |
| Zion | no look pass | spring shoes | right handed shooter | red hair tie | cold water |
| Dirk | spin move dunk | glow jersey | right handed shooter | blue headband | squeaky shoes |
| Yao | no look pass | spring shoes | right handed shooter | blue headband | squeaky shoes |
| Booker | monster block | speed socks | left handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Ja | monster block | glow jersey | left handed shooter | red hair tie | cold water |
| Trae | monster block | glow jersey | left handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Kawhi | monster block | speed socks | right handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Jordan | monster block | super bounce ball | right handed shooter | green sweatband | loud whistle |
| Shaq | half court buzzer beater | glow jersey | right handed shooter | blue headband | squeaky shoes |
| Reggie | spin move dunk | speed socks | left handed shooter | red hair tie | squeaky shoes |
| Kobe | no look pass | sticky gloves | left handed shooter | green sweatband | loud whistle |
| LeBron | monster block | sticky gloves | right handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Steph | half court buzzer beater | spring shoes | left handed shooter | blue headband | squeaky shoes |
| Tatum | no look pass | sticky gloves | right handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Giannis | lightning crossover | sticky gloves | right handed shooter | blue headband | cold water |
| Muggsy | half court buzzer beater | sticky gloves | right handed shooter | blue headband | squeaky shoes |
| Kyrie | no look pass | super bounce ball | right handed shooter | red hair tie | squeaky shoes |
| Jimmy | half court buzzer beater | speed socks | right handed shooter | green sweatband | loud whistle |
| Nikola | spin move dunk | spring shoes | left handed shooter | red hair tie | loud whistle |
Clue 1
Addition
We need to count the gym balls. Let us add the red balls and the blue balls to find the 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.
T
16
17
6
11
10
2
12
4
T
16
12
3
6
14
2
3
T
16
5
6
10
8
14
20
6
6
12
14
3
7
13
14
5 + 11 =T
1 + 1 =N
6 + 5 =B
10 + 4 =S
1 + 2 =O
4 + 3 =C
3 + 5 =R
8 + 4 =D
1 + 4 =W
10 + 3 =K
4 + 2 =E
2 + 2 =I
7 + 10 =H
13 + 7 =P
6 + 4 =A
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
Some practice jerseys are missing. We take away the dirty ones to see what is left in the bin.
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
5
1
13
4
10
13
6
11
3
4
1
12
T
5
8
6
4
T
5
6
11
13
10
8
17
T
5
1
T
5
1
13
16
17
9
1
T
5
1
6
10
2
11 - 6 =T
12 - 1 =K
18 - 1 =I
14 - 2 =O
10 - 6 =S
18 - 5 =E
9 - 7 =D
11 - 1 =N
9 - 1 =W
18 - 2 =R
12 - 6 =A
12 - 3 =G
6 - 5 =H
7 - 4 =Y
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Skip counting
The players bounce the balls in pairs. Let us count them by twos to find the pattern.
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
10
12
25
26
20
15
70
120
T
10
28
20
15
90
28
40
65
42
40
35
70
39
20
T
10
25
28
26
40
T
10
T
10
35
25
50
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, ___, 12, 14T
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, ___, 50, 60O
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, ___, 42, 45W
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, ___, 15, 18H
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, ___, 45, 48C
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, ___, 60, 70S
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, ___, 28, 30B
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110F
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, ___, 18, 21N
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, ___, 30, 32R
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___, 30, 35E
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, ___, 40, 45L
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, ___, 130, 140I
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, ___, 80, 90D
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, ___, 70, 75M
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, ___, 25, 30A
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Place value
The locker numbers have tens and ones. Look at the digit in the tens place to find 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.
W
80
71
14
75
28
38
42
58
37
82
28
71
79
71
58
42
37
58
38
42
75
38
69
79
71
50
75
28
41
69
What number has 8 tens and 0 ones?W
What number has 4 tens and 2 ones?D
What number has 3 tens and 7 ones?B
What number has 6 tens and 9 ones?T
What number has 7 tens and 9 ones?H
What number has 3 tens and 8 ones?N
What number has 7 tens and 1 one?E
What number has 2 tens and 8 ones?U
What number has 7 tens and 5 ones?O
What number has 4 tens and 1 one?R
What number has 1 ten and 4 ones?F
What number has 5 tens and 8 ones?A
What number has 8 tens and 2 ones?L
What number has 5 tens and 0 ones?C
0/14 letters found
Clue 5
Missing addends — the last clue
We have eight water bottles now. We need ten in total. How many more do we need to find?
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
8 + ___ = 17
10 + ___ = 20
7 + ___ = 10
10 + ___ = 11
7 + ___ = 15
6 + ___ = 13
5 + ___ = 10
1 + ___ = 7
10 + ___ = 21
3 + ___ = 7
5 + ___ = 17
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain sinks a half court buzzer beater, then springs away in spring shoes.
2.The villain makes a lightning crossover, then snatches the ball with sticky gloves.
3.The villain sinks a half court buzzer beater, then snatches the ball with sticky gloves.
4.The villain leaps for a monster block, then dashes away in speed socks.
5.The villain shows off a spin move dunk, then bounces off with a super bounce ball.
6.The villain throws a no look pass, then bounces off with a super bounce ball.
7.The villain makes a lightning crossover, then springs away in spring shoes.
8.The villain shows off a spin move dunk, then snatches the ball with sticky gloves.
9.The villain leaps for a monster block, then snatches the ball with sticky gloves.
10.The villain throws a no look pass, then snatches the ball with sticky gloves.
11.The villain shows off a spin move dunk, then flashes a bright glow jersey.
12.The villain shows off a spin move dunk, then dashes away in speed socks.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Missing Championship Ball
Culprit: Giannis (lightning crossover · sticky gloves · right handed shooter · blue headband · cold water)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT WEAR SPEED SOCKS"5 + 11 = 16 (T) · 1 + 1 = 2 (N) · 6 + 5 = 11 (B) · 10 + 4 = 14 (S) · 1 + 2 = 3 (O) · 4 + 3 = 7 (C) · 3 + 5 = 8 (R) · 8 + 4 = 12 (D) · 1 + 4 = 5 (W) · 10 + 3 = 13 (K) · 4 + 2 = 6 (E) · 2 + 2 = 4 (I) · 7 + 10 = 17 (H) · 13 + 7 = 20 (P) · 6 + 4 = 10 (A)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE SNEAKY SHOT WAS TAKEN WITH THE RIGHT HAND"11 - 6 = 5 (T) · 12 - 1 = 11 (K) · 18 - 1 = 17 (I) · 14 - 2 = 12 (O) · 10 - 6 = 4 (S) · 18 - 5 = 13 (E) · 9 - 7 = 2 (D) · 11 - 1 = 10 (N) · 9 - 1 = 8 (W) · 18 - 2 = 16 (R) · 12 - 6 = 6 (A) · 12 - 3 = 9 (G) · 6 - 5 = 1 (H) · 7 - 4 = 3 (Y)
- Clue 3 (Skip counting): "THE BANDIT RAN FROM COLD WATER BOTTLES"Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, ___, 12, 14 = 10 (T) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, ___, 50, 60 = 40 (O) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, ___, 42, 45 = 39 (W) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, ___, 15, 18 = 12 (H) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, ___, 45, 48 = 42 (C) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, ___, 60, 70 = 50 (S) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, ___, 28, 30 = 26 (B) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110 = 90 (F) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, ___, 18, 21 = 15 (N) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, ___, 30, 32 = 28 (R) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___, 30, 35 = 25 (E) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, ___, 40, 45 = 35 (L) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, ___, 130, 140 = 120 (I) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, ___, 80, 90 = 70 (D) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, ___, 70, 75 = 65 (M) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, ___, 25, 30 = 20 (A)
- Clue 4 (Place value): "WE FOUND A BLUE HEADBAND ON THE COURT"What number has 8 tens and 0 ones? = 80 (W) · What number has 4 tens and 2 ones? = 42 (D) · What number has 3 tens and 7 ones? = 37 (B) · What number has 6 tens and 9 ones? = 69 (T) · What number has 7 tens and 9 ones? = 79 (H) · What number has 3 tens and 8 ones? = 38 (N) · What number has 7 tens and 1 one? = 71 (E) · What number has 2 tens and 8 ones? = 28 (U) · What number has 7 tens and 5 ones? = 75 (O) · What number has 4 tens and 1 one? = 41 (R) · What number has 1 ten and 4 ones? = 14 (F) · What number has 5 tens and 8 ones? = 58 (A) · What number has 8 tens and 2 ones? = 82 (L) · What number has 5 tens and 0 ones? = 50 (C)
- Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 2) → Giannis8 + ___ = 17 = 9 · 10 + ___ = 20 = 10 · 7 + ___ = 10 = 3 · 10 + ___ = 11 = 1 · 7 + ___ = 15 = 8 · 6 + ___ = 13 = 7 · 5 + ___ = 10 = 5 · 1 + ___ = 7 = 6 · 10 + ___ = 21 = 11 · 3 + ___ = 7 = 4 · 5 + ___ = 17 = 12
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 1 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Skip counting, Place value, Missing addends
- Reading level
- grades 1-2
- Theme
- The Case of the Missing Championship Ball — set in The Hoop Dome Arena
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects