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🏴‍☠️ PiratesGrade 3Reading: grades 1-2MultiplicationAdditionSubtractionSkip countingMissing addends

The Golden Compass Mystery

A sneaky pirate took the golden compass from the dock master. We need to find the thief before they sail away!

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	pirate skill	pirate gear	sailing hand	pirate hair	pirate weakness
Bootleg Billy	map reading	parrot friend	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	loud bell
First Mate Fred	sword waving	wooden peg	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Plank Walk Pete	sail steering	shiny eye patch	uses right hand	red curly hair	tickle feathers
Scurvy Steve	chest locking	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	black braided hair	sour lime
Salty Sam	sail steering	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	black braided hair	sour lime
Stormy Stan	sail steering	parrot friend	uses left hand	red curly hair	sour lime
Cannonball Cole	chest locking	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	tickle feathers
Doubloon Dan	rope climbing	metal hook	uses right hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Jolly Jenny	sword waving	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	tickle feathers
Blackbeard Ben	rope climbing	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	red curly hair	loud bell
Treasure Tina	sail steering	parrot friend	uses right hand	black braided hair	loud bell
Tide Turn Tobey	map reading	parrot friend	uses right hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Cutlass Kate	chest locking	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Anchor Andy	rope climbing	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Sailor Sarah	map reading	gold tooth	uses right hand	black braided hair	tickle feathers
Captain Carla	rope climbing	gold tooth	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Goldie Grace	sword waving	metal hook	uses right hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Breezy Bella	map reading	gold tooth	uses left hand	red curly hair	tickle feathers
Captain Barnaby	sail steering	wooden peg	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	sour lime
Pegleg Polly	sail steering	shiny eye patch	uses left hand	red curly hair	loud bell
Red Beard Roger	sword waving	parrot friend	uses left hand	yellow ponytail hair	loud bell

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

We find some gold boxes. They are in neat rows on the ship. Let us multiply the rows to count the gold and get 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.

110

1 × 6 =T

4 × 11 =I

8 × 5 =H

4 × 1 =E

7 × 10 =S

2 × 10 =O

11 × 10 =N

3 × 6 =D

4 × 9 =F

3 × 3 =V

10 × 1 =L

1 × 7 =G

8 × 2 =A

0/13 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

The dock master counts the ship biscuits. We add the old ones and the new ones. The total gives us a hint 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.

987

648

260

485

648

260

336

804

987

648

260

392

346

591

407

280

987

648

260

407

205

336

260

562

987

648

346

280

804

298 + 689 =T

120 + 272 =M

204 + 132 =L

408 + 183 =P

116 + 144 =E

551 + 253 =D

281 + 367 =H

249 + 236 =Y

114 + 232 =A

139 + 268 =I

68 + 137 =R

123 + 157 =N

313 + 249 =F

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

A hungry seagull flew by. It took some fish from our basket. Subtract the stolen fish to find how many are left for 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.

307

870

164

151

537

383

480

750

746

361

164

361

625

403

164

307

870

164

307

870

746

164

429

480

383

492

517 - 210 =T

291 - 127 =E

889 - 264 =A

477 - 48 =F

895 - 145 =L

875 - 383 =N

750 - 270 =R

1217 - 347 =H

730 - 347 =U

674 - 271 =D

878 - 341 =O

855 - 109 =I

419 - 58 =M

402 - 251 =S

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Skip counting

The crew hops on the deck planks. We skip count by fives as they hop. Each big jump gets us closer to a 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.

110

130

110

130

Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, ___, 24, 26A

Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110T

Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10, 12I

Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, ___, 60, 70S

Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, ___, 8, 10P

Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___, 30, 35E

Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, ___, 120, 130Y

Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, ___, 60, 65O

Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, ___, 140, 150N

Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, ___, 50, 55L

Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ___, 14, 16W

0/11 letters found

Clue 5

Missing addends — the last clue

We need ten barrels of water. We only have six. Let us find how many more we need to get the final clue.

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

4 + ___ = 5

6 + ___ = 10

5 + ___ = 8

3 + ___ = 12

3 + ___ = 14

9 + ___ = 16

6 + ___ = 16

4 + ___ = 10

8 + ___ = 13

10 + ___ = 18

8 + ___ = 20

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain locked the wood chest, then fixed their shiny eye patch.

2.The villain steered the big wheel, then tapped their wooden peg.

3.The villain waved the fake sword, then tapped their wooden peg.

4.The villain climbed up the rope, then fixed their shiny eye patch.

5.The villain waved the fake sword, then fixed their shiny eye patch.

6.The villain waved the fake sword, then swung their metal hook.

7.The villain read the old map, then tapped their wooden peg.

8.The villain waved the fake sword, then showed off their gold tooth.

9.The villain steered the big wheel, then showed off their gold tooth.

10.The villain locked the wood chest, then tapped their wooden peg.

11.The villain climbed up the rope, then tapped their wooden peg.

12.The villain climbed up the rope, then showed off their gold tooth.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Golden Compass Mystery

Culprit: Captain Barnaby (sail steering · wooden peg · uses left hand · yellow ponytail hair · sour lime)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE THIEF DOES NOT HAVE A GOLD TOOTH"
1 × 6 = 6 (T) · 4 × 11 = 44 (I) · 8 × 5 = 40 (H) · 4 × 1 = 4 (E) · 7 × 10 = 70 (S) · 2 × 10 = 20 (O) · 11 × 10 = 110 (N) · 3 × 6 = 18 (D) · 4 × 9 = 36 (F) · 3 × 3 = 9 (V) · 10 × 1 = 10 (L) · 1 × 7 = 7 (G) · 8 × 2 = 16 (A)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THEY HELD THE MAP IN THEIR LEFT HAND"
298 + 689 = 987 (T) · 120 + 272 = 392 (M) · 204 + 132 = 336 (L) · 408 + 183 = 591 (P) · 116 + 144 = 260 (E) · 551 + 253 = 804 (D) · 281 + 367 = 648 (H) · 249 + 236 = 485 (Y) · 114 + 232 = 346 (A) · 139 + 268 = 407 (I) · 68 + 137 = 205 (R) · 123 + 157 = 280 (N) · 313 + 249 = 562 (F)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE SOUR LIME MADE THE THIEF RUN"
517 - 210 = 307 (T) · 291 - 127 = 164 (E) · 889 - 264 = 625 (A) · 477 - 48 = 429 (F) · 895 - 145 = 750 (L) · 875 - 383 = 492 (N) · 750 - 270 = 480 (R) · 1217 - 347 = 870 (H) · 730 - 347 = 383 (U) · 674 - 271 = 403 (D) · 878 - 341 = 537 (O) · 855 - 109 = 746 (I) · 419 - 58 = 361 (M) · 402 - 251 = 151 (S)
Clue 4 (Skip counting): "A YELLOW PONYTAIL WAS SEEN AT SEA"
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, ___, 24, 26 = 22 (A) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110 = 90 (T) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10, 12 = 8 (I) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, ___, 60, 70 = 50 (S) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, ___, 8, 10 = 6 (P) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, ___, 30, 35 = 25 (E) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, ___, 120, 130 = 110 (Y) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, ___, 60, 65 = 55 (O) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, ___, 140, 150 = 130 (N) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, ___, 50, 55 = 45 (L) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ___, 14, 16 = 12 (W)
Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 2) → Captain Barnaby
4 + ___ = 5 = 1 · 6 + ___ = 10 = 4 · 5 + ___ = 8 = 3 · 3 + ___ = 12 = 9 · 3 + ___ = 14 = 11 · 9 + ___ = 16 = 7 · 6 + ___ = 16 = 10 · 4 + ___ = 10 = 6 · 8 + ___ = 13 = 5 · 10 + ___ = 18 = 8 · 8 + ___ = 20 = 12

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 3 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction, Skip counting, Missing addends
Reading level: grades 1-2
Theme: The Golden Compass Mystery — set in The Sunny Cove Dock
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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