🔎 TechGrade 10Reading: grades 1-2MultiplicationPythagorean theoremSquare rootsExponentsDivision
The Code Room Glitch
A sneaky glitch hacker locked the main game server! Our system is down. We need to find the hacker before the screen goes totally blank.
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 | Hacking Tool | Companion Bot | Typing Hand | LED Glow Color | System Bug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dex Byte | code injector | hover-bot | right handed | bright green | power drains |
| Katherine Johnson | signal jammer | spider-bot | left handed | neon blue | water spills |
| Guido van Rossum | worm drive | spider-bot | left handed | bright green | power drains |
| Meg Hertz | worm drive | robo-dog | left handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Max Chip | worm drive | neon-cat | left handed | neon blue | power drains |
| Joy Buolamwini | code injector | spider-bot | left handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Grace Hopper | signal jammer | spider-bot | left handed | bright green | water spills |
| Bill Gates | worm drive | hover-bot | left handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Ada Lovelace | code injector | neon-cat | right handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Alan Turing | worm drive | hover-bot | right handed | laser red | magnet fields |
| Margaret Hamilton | signal jammer | hover-bot | left handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Tim Berners Lee | signal jammer | micro-drone | left handed | laser red | magnet fields |
| Linus Torvalds | bypass key | robo-dog | left handed | laser red | water spills |
| Hedy Lamarr | data cloner | micro-drone | left handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Pip Ram | signal jammer | spider-bot | left handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Steve Wozniak | bypass key | hover-bot | left handed | laser red | magnet fields |
| Sheryl Sandberg | bypass key | neon-cat | left handed | neon blue | power drains |
| Sam Disk | code injector | robo-dog | right handed | neon blue | magnet fields |
| Radia Perlman | data cloner | micro-drone | left handed | laser red | water spills |
| Gordon Moore | code injector | spider-bot | left handed | laser red | water spills |
| Mia Vector | data cloner | neon-cat | right handed | neon blue | water spills |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We count rows of glowing tablet screens to find the first code 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
11
8
56
24
72
32
T
11
70
8
8
15
70
77
56
25
28
50
56
110
55
50
T
11
8
15
132
56
15
110
7
32
28
56
25
2
50
T
11
1 × 11 =T
3 × 8 =G
4 × 8 =I
1 × 7 =P
8 × 7 =E
7 × 11 =K
11 × 12 =V
5 × 3 =A
1 × 2 =B
11 × 10 =S
9 × 8 =L
7 × 4 =D
5 × 5 =R
4 × 2 =H
11 × 5 =N
5 × 10 =O
10 × 7 =C
0/17 letters found
Clue 2
Pythagorean theorem
The team measures a diagonal laser beam to map the escape route.
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
39
100
40
116
52
116
82
40
51
T
39
T
39
29
82
40
111
26
15
T
39
100
37
123
75
29
T
39
100
40
15
65
75
40
34
T
39
100
87
123
111
legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse =T
legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse =F
legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse =U
legs 12 and 35, hypotenuse =O
legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse =C
legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =L
legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse =D
legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse =Y
legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse =W
legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse =R
legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse =E
legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse =I
legs 60 and 63, hypotenuse =A
legs 28 and 96, hypotenuse =H
legs 27 and 120, hypotenuse =N
legs 80 and 84, hypotenuse =S
legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse =P
0/17 letters found
Clue 3
Square roots
We find a square chip grid and look for its side length.
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
4
2
4
13
18
14
2
7
7
13
6
13
8
13
15
25
7
19
9
23
T
16
5
18
14
15
9
13
21
6
2
T
16
25
5
2
11
24
23
sqrt(256) =T
sqrt(529) =S
sqrt(225) =Y
sqrt(81) =M
sqrt(64) =W
sqrt(4) =E
sqrt(441) =G
sqrt(324) =C
sqrt(361) =O
sqrt(16) =H
sqrt(576) =D
sqrt(625) =F
sqrt(169) =A
sqrt(196) =K
sqrt(25) =I
sqrt(36) =N
sqrt(49) =R
sqrt(121) =L
0/18 letters found
Clue 4
Exponents
A giant bug multiplies its size very fast as it copies itself.
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
196
729
4
128
289
25
8
81
512
128
512
4
25
512
36
289
324
4
8
81
343
4
144
8
4
343
4
289
4
216
T
196
36
4
729
81
512
32
14^2 =T
2^9 =N
7^3 =R
5^2 =O
18^2 =U
6^2 =B
2^5 =D
2^7 =G
2^2 =E
6^3 =F
12^2 =S
17^2 =L
3^6 =H
3^4 =I
2^3 =W
0/15 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We split the clean power cells evenly among the five recovery bots.
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
49 ÷ 7 = ?
50 ÷ 10 = ?
4 ÷ 2 = ?
72 ÷ 8 = ?
16 ÷ 2 = ?
33 ÷ 3 = ?
5 ÷ 5 = ?
40 ÷ 4 = ?
48 ÷ 8 = ?
48 ÷ 4 = ?
24 ÷ 6 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain boots a data cloner to steal the database, then deploys a robo-dog to guard the hallway.
2.The villain boots a data cloner to steal the database, then launches a micro-drone to record the room.
3.The villain runs a worm drive to copy the secret keys, then deploys a robo-dog to guard the hallway.
4.The villain uses a bypass key to unlock the vault, then whistles for a spider-bot to climb the walls.
5.The villain runs a worm drive to copy the secret keys, then activates a hover-bot to carry the loot.
6.The villain runs a worm drive to copy the secret keys, then launches a micro-drone to record the room.
7.The villain sends a signal jammer to mute the alarms, then activates a hover-bot to carry the loot.
8.The villain types with a code injector to rewrite files, then deploys a robo-dog to guard the hallway.
9.The villain boots a data cloner to steal the database, then calls a neon-cat to distract the night guard.
10.The villain types with a code injector to rewrite files, then whistles for a spider-bot to climb the walls.
11.The villain sends a signal jammer to mute the alarms, then whistles for a spider-bot to climb the walls.
12.The villain runs a worm drive to copy the secret keys, then whistles for a spider-bot to climb the walls.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Code Room Glitch
Culprit: Meg Hertz (worm drive · robo-dog · left handed · neon blue · magnet fields)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE GLITCH HACKER DOES NOT HAVE A SPIDER BOT"1 × 11 = 11 (T) · 3 × 8 = 24 (G) · 4 × 8 = 32 (I) · 1 × 7 = 7 (P) · 8 × 7 = 56 (E) · 7 × 11 = 77 (K) · 11 × 12 = 132 (V) · 5 × 3 = 15 (A) · 1 × 2 = 2 (B) · 11 × 10 = 110 (S) · 9 × 8 = 72 (L) · 7 × 4 = 28 (D) · 5 × 5 = 25 (R) · 4 × 2 = 8 (H) · 11 × 5 = 55 (N) · 5 × 10 = 50 (O) · 10 × 7 = 70 (C)
- Clue 2 (Pythagorean theorem): "THE SUSPECT TYPED WITH ONLY THEIR LEFT HAND"legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse = 39 (T) · legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse = 34 (F) · legs 20 and 48, hypotenuse = 52 (U) · legs 12 and 35, hypotenuse = 37 (O) · legs 24 and 45, hypotenuse = 51 (C) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (L) · legs 36 and 105, hypotenuse = 111 (D) · legs 20 and 21, hypotenuse = 29 (Y) · legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse = 26 (W) · legs 25 and 60, hypotenuse = 65 (R) · legs 24 and 32, hypotenuse = 40 (E) · legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse = 15 (I) · legs 60 and 63, hypotenuse = 87 (A) · legs 28 and 96, hypotenuse = 100 (H) · legs 27 and 120, hypotenuse = 123 (N) · legs 80 and 84, hypotenuse = 116 (S) · legs 18 and 80, hypotenuse = 82 (P)
- Clue 3 (Square roots): "THE HACKER RAN AWAY FROM STICKY MAGNET FIELDS"sqrt(256) = 16 (T) · sqrt(529) = 23 (S) · sqrt(225) = 15 (Y) · sqrt(81) = 9 (M) · sqrt(64) = 8 (W) · sqrt(4) = 2 (E) · sqrt(441) = 21 (G) · sqrt(324) = 18 (C) · sqrt(361) = 19 (O) · sqrt(16) = 4 (H) · sqrt(576) = 24 (D) · sqrt(625) = 25 (F) · sqrt(169) = 13 (A) · sqrt(196) = 14 (K) · sqrt(25) = 5 (I) · sqrt(36) = 6 (N) · sqrt(49) = 7 (R) · sqrt(121) = 11 (L)
- Clue 4 (Exponents): "THE GLOWING NEON BLUE WIRES WERE LEFT BEHIND"14^2 = 196 (T) · 2^9 = 512 (N) · 7^3 = 343 (R) · 5^2 = 25 (O) · 18^2 = 324 (U) · 6^2 = 36 (B) · 2^5 = 32 (D) · 2^7 = 128 (G) · 2^2 = 4 (E) · 6^3 = 216 (F) · 12^2 = 144 (S) · 17^2 = 289 (L) · 3^6 = 729 (H) · 3^4 = 81 (I) · 2^3 = 8 (W)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 3) → Meg Hertz49 ÷ 7 = 7 · 50 ÷ 10 = 5 · 4 ÷ 2 = 2 · 72 ÷ 8 = 9 · 16 ÷ 2 = 8 · 33 ÷ 3 = 11 · 5 ÷ 5 = 1 · 40 ÷ 4 = 10 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 48 ÷ 4 = 12 · 24 ÷ 6 = 4
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 10 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Pythagorean theorem, Square roots, Exponents, Division
- Reading level
- grades 1-2
- Theme
- The Code Room Glitch — set in Pixel Labs
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects