🚀 Space piratesGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Case of the Star-Swiped Snacks

Someone has raided the snack stalls on Port Nebula! Captain Starbeard's space pirates are the prime suspects. Detective Nova needs your help to figure out which pirate nabbed the Galactic Gummy Worms before they escape into the void!

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	Laser Color	Special Gear	Crew Type	Tentacle Style	Sound Sensitivity
Zap	Crimson Beam	Warp Whistle	Zorgonian	Spiked	Loud Bangs
Squeak	Emerald Blast	X-Ray Goggles	Rigellian	Braided	Soft Whispers
Grunk	Violet Flash	Grappling Hook	Rigellian	Curly	Loud Bangs
Wobble	Violet Flash	Jet Boots	Zorgonian	Spiked	Soft Whispers
Buzz	Crimson Beam	X-Ray Goggles	Zorgonian	Braided	Loud Bangs
Rigel	Gold Ray	Warp Whistle	Zorgonian	Braided	High Pitches
Pip	Gold Ray	Jet Boots	Zorgonian	Braided	Soft Whispers
Quark	Emerald Blast	Force Field Belt	Rigellian	Curly	Loud Bangs
Snork	Sapphire Bolt	X-Ray Goggles	Rigellian	Curly	Loud Bangs
Fizz	Crimson Beam	X-Ray Goggles	Zorgonian	Curly	Soft Whispers
Zarg	Crimson Beam	Jet Boots	Rigellian	Curly	High Pitches
Blorg	Gold Ray	X-Ray Goggles	Zorgonian	Braided	High Pitches
Fleep	Gold Ray	Warp Whistle	Rigellian	Curly	Loud Bangs
Zorg	Violet Flash	Force Field Belt	Rigellian	Curly	High Pitches
Zorp	Gold Ray	Force Field Belt	Zorgonian	Curly	Loud Bangs
Splish	Violet Flash	Jet Boots	Rigellian	Spiked	Loud Bangs
Zip	Crimson Beam	Jet Boots	Zorgonian	Spiked	Loud Bangs
Glar	Emerald Blast	Warp Whistle	Zorgonian	Braided	High Pitches
Splash	Sapphire Bolt	Jet Boots	Rigellian	Curly	Loud Bangs
Bleep	Sapphire Bolt	Jet Boots	Rigellian	Curly	Soft Whispers
Krill	Gold Ray	Jet Boots	Rigellian	Braided	Loud Bangs

Clue 1

Rounding

The first witness saw the pirate escape, but the security scanner only showed rounded numbers on its report.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

5000

300

2000

7000

9000

200

600

300

200

600

9000

5000

4000

200

400

Round 5,479 to the nearest thousandT

Round 29 to the nearest tenW

Round 323 to the nearest hundredE

Round 602 to the nearest hundredS

Round 40 to the nearest tenD

Round 47 to the nearest tenA

Round 6,530 to the nearest thousandI

Round 80 to the nearest tenO

Round 70 to the nearest tenR

Round 239 to the nearest hundredL

Round 1,892 to the nearest thousandM

Round 3,840 to the nearest thousandG

Round 18 to the nearest tenC

Round 90 to the nearest tenH

Round 408 to the nearest hundredY

Round 9,313 to the nearest thousandN

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

The snack vendor counted the remaining space-cherries. It was tricky to keep track of them all as they tumbled.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

665

547

357

726

277

357

744

665

324

330

357

744

825

631

277

581

956

357

267

581

825

614

208 + 457 =T

362 + 219 =I

103 + 174 =R

387 + 244 =S

213 + 401 =N

406 + 550 =G

161 + 169 =P

332 + 493 =A

352 + 392 =W

221 + 136 =E

141 + 126 =L

165 + 382 =H

179 + 145 =Y

384 + 342 =C

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

One pirate dropped a stolen bag of moon-cheese puffs. Luckily, a friendly space slug slurped up most of them.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

616

717

735

417

351

831

472

610

417

735

472

417

302

616

302

425

302

616

546

540

178

417

476

351

831

610

220

178

472

152

417

776 - 160 =T

884 - 149 =E

1100 - 383 =H

486 - 10 =L

577 - 152 =V

573 - 27 =Y

547 - 327 =B

687 - 385 =I

624 - 273 =O

848 - 308 =W

753 - 336 =S

907 - 297 =D

262 - 84 =A

385 - 233 =G

899 - 68 =U

867 - 395 =N

0/16 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The pirates formed neat rows as they marched away, each row holding the same number of glimmer-goobers.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

144

121

110

121

1 × 3 =T

8 × 7 =C

7 × 5 =R

3 × 11 =Y

3 × 7 =N

10 × 11 =W

11 × 11 =S

9 × 8 =E

4 × 11 =L

6 × 9 =A

7 × 12 =U

12 × 12 =H

0/12 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

Captain Starbeard made sure to share the stolen quasar-crackers fairly among his crew before they made their getaway.

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

48 ÷ 4 = ?

8 ÷ 8 = ?

18 ÷ 9 = ?

25 ÷ 5 = ?

9 ÷ 3 = ?

90 ÷ 10 = ?

66 ÷ 11 = ?

80 ÷ 8 = ?

40 ÷ 10 = ?

132 ÷ 12 = ?

24 ÷ 3 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain blasted, then flew.

2.The villain zapped, then shielded.

3.The villain zapped, then flew.

4.The villain fired, then whistled.

5.The villain scorched, then flew.

6.The villain scorched, then whistled.

7.The villain sliced, then whistled.

8.The villain blasted, then hooked.

9.The villain fired, then shielded.

10.The villain scorched, then shielded.

11.The villain fired, then spied.

12.The villain blasted, then spied.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Case of the Star-Swiped Snacks

Culprit: Fleep (Gold Ray · Warp Whistle · Rigellian · Curly · Loud Bangs)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE MAIN LASER COLOR WAS NOT GOLD RAY"
Round 5,479 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (T) · Round 29 to the nearest ten = 30 (W) · Round 323 to the nearest hundred = 300 (E) · Round 602 to the nearest hundred = 600 (S) · Round 40 to the nearest ten = 40 (D) · Round 47 to the nearest ten = 50 (A) · Round 6,530 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (I) · Round 80 to the nearest ten = 80 (O) · Round 70 to the nearest ten = 70 (R) · Round 239 to the nearest hundred = 200 (L) · Round 1,892 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (M) · Round 3,840 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (G) · Round 18 to the nearest ten = 20 (C) · Round 90 to the nearest ten = 90 (H) · Round 408 to the nearest hundred = 400 (Y) · Round 9,313 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (N)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THE CREW TYPE WAS RIGELLIAN"
208 + 457 = 665 (T) · 362 + 219 = 581 (I) · 103 + 174 = 277 (R) · 387 + 244 = 631 (S) · 213 + 401 = 614 (N) · 406 + 550 = 956 (G) · 161 + 169 = 330 (P) · 332 + 493 = 825 (A) · 352 + 392 = 744 (W) · 221 + 136 = 357 (E) · 141 + 126 = 267 (L) · 165 + 382 = 547 (H) · 179 + 145 = 324 (Y) · 384 + 342 = 726 (C)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE SOUND SENSITIVITY WAS LOUD BANGS"
776 - 160 = 616 (T) · 884 - 149 = 735 (E) · 1100 - 383 = 717 (H) · 486 - 10 = 476 (L) · 577 - 152 = 425 (V) · 573 - 27 = 546 (Y) · 547 - 327 = 220 (B) · 687 - 385 = 302 (I) · 624 - 273 = 351 (O) · 848 - 308 = 540 (W) · 753 - 336 = 417 (S) · 907 - 297 = 610 (D) · 262 - 84 = 178 (A) · 385 - 233 = 152 (G) · 899 - 68 = 831 (U) · 867 - 395 = 472 (N)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE TENTACLE STYLE WAS CURLY"
1 × 3 = 3 (T) · 8 × 7 = 56 (C) · 7 × 5 = 35 (R) · 3 × 11 = 33 (Y) · 3 × 7 = 21 (N) · 10 × 11 = 110 (W) · 11 × 11 = 121 (S) · 9 × 8 = 72 (E) · 4 × 11 = 44 (L) · 6 × 9 = 54 (A) · 7 × 12 = 84 (U) · 12 × 12 = 144 (H)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 7) → Fleep
48 ÷ 4 = 12 · 8 ÷ 8 = 1 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 9 ÷ 3 = 3 · 90 ÷ 10 = 9 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 40 ÷ 10 = 4 · 132 ÷ 12 = 11 · 24 ÷ 3 = 8

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 Star-Swiped Snacks — set in The bustling asteroid market of Port Nebula
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects