⚽ SoccerGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4RoundingWord problemsBar modelsAdditionDivision
The Golden Cup Mystery
The Golden Cup is missing! Just before the big championship kickoff, someone broke into the training room and took the trophy. The referee found a muddy trail on the grass and some dropped soccer gear. We need to find which famous soccer star took it before the game starts!
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 | Signature Move | Lucky Gear | Dominant Foot | Hair Style | Favorite Snack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Rashford | Power Header | Striped Headband | Left Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Jude Bellingham | Slide Tackle | Silver Whistle | Right Footed | Slicked Brown Hair | Energy Bars |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Curving Free Kick | Striped Headband | Right Footed | Spiky Black Hair | Orange Slices |
| Lionel Messi | Curving Free Kick | Lucky Wristband | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Son Heung-min | Power Header | Striped Headband | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Mohamed Salah | Bicycle Kick | Golden Shin Guards | Left Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Antoine Griezmann | Bicycle Kick | Silver Whistle | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Harry Kane | Slide Tackle | Lucky Wristband | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Banana Bunch |
| Sam Kerr | Dribble Spin | Striped Headband | Left Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Banana Bunch |
| Luis Diaz | Curving Free Kick | Lucky Wristband | Left Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Robert Lewandowski | Power Header | Silver Whistle | Left Footed | Spiky Black Hair | Orange Slices |
| Kylian Mbappe | Dribble Spin | Neon Cleats | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Banana Bunch |
| Megan Rapinoe | Dribble Spin | Striped Headband | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
| Alex Morgan | Curving Free Kick | Golden Shin Guards | Left Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Banana Bunch |
| Neymar Jr | Power Header | Neon Cleats | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Energy Bars |
| Virgil van Dijk | Dribble Spin | Golden Shin Guards | Left Footed | Spiky Black Hair | Energy Bars |
| Erling Haaland | Curving Free Kick | Neon Cleats | Left Footed | Spiky Black Hair | Energy Bars |
| Jack Grealish | Bicycle Kick | Lucky Wristband | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Energy Bars |
| Luka Modric | Slide Tackle | Silver Whistle | Right Footed | Spiky Black Hair | Orange Slices |
| Bukayo Saka | Dribble Spin | Golden Shin Guards | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Banana Bunch |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Bicycle Kick | Golden Shin Guards | Right Footed | Curly Blonde Hair | Orange Slices |
Clue 1
Rounding
The equipment manager drew a soccer ball bar model on the tactics board to help us track down who had visited the locker room.
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
4000
6000
90
T
4000
6000
3000
90
200
900
60
90
80
5000
60
T
4000
2000
90
30
500
30
80
3000
400
70
90
500
2000
6000
3000
80
T
4000
400
90
Round 3,525 to the nearest thousandT
Round 534 to the nearest hundredR
Round 71 to the nearest tenV
Round 62 to the nearest tenO
Round 432 to the nearest hundredL
Round 3,394 to the nearest thousandI
Round 5,539 to the nearest thousandH
Round 90 to the nearest tenE
Round 949 to the nearest hundredD
Round 5,485 to the nearest thousandN
Round 1,974 to the nearest thousandW
Round 77 to the nearest tenS
Round 32 to the nearest tenA
Round 237 to the nearest hundredF
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Word problems
The referee wrote a word problem on his notepad about the missing team jerseys to help us find the next hint.
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
34
55
77
18
56
67
69
69
72
67
69
T
34
76
56
25
71
32
67
56
29
18
55
T
34
74
76
76
T
34
There were 41 tickets. 7 were used. How many are left?T
A detective found 25 clues on Monday and 46 more on Tuesday. How many clues in all?B
There were 107 tickets. 33 were used. How many are left?F
There were 71 tickets. 4 were used. How many are left?A
There were 25 tickets. 7 were used. How many are left?G
A detective found 24 clues on Monday and 5 more on Tuesday. How many clues in all?I
There were 85 tickets. 9 were used. How many are left?O
There are 7 boxes with 11 clues in each box. How many clues in all?E
A detective found 16 clues on Monday and 53 more on Tuesday. How many clues in all?S
There were 72 tickets. 17 were used. How many are left?H
There are 8 boxes with 7 clues in each box. How many clues in all?R
There are 12 boxes with 6 clues in each box. How many clues in all?W
There are 4 boxes with 8 clues in each box. How many clues in all?Y
There were 63 tickets. 38 were used. How many are left?N
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Bar models
The broken stadium scoreboard only shows rounded numbers for the crowd size, but it holds a secret code.
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
26
23
17
25
10
17
20
11
22
T
26
23
21
17
12
7
4
29
30
30
17
7
20
10
29
4
20
10
5
17
30
17
17
15
9
17
?
1
4
?
26
1
?
2
2
?
46
17
?
17
5
?
25
14
?
39
9
?
19
2
?
18
11
?
39
19
?
36
19
?
7
15
?
17
2
?
14
4
?
33
10
?
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Addition
We added up all the dirty socks in the laundry bin to find the secret sum of the suspect's jersey number.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
A
645
722
730
771
680
400
615
865
A
645
291
932
787
771
291
730
965
A
645
540
771
680
603
865
615
863
932
A
645
540
540
409 + 236 =A
421 + 350 =O
327 + 288 =E
292 + 430 =B
298 + 382 =N
157 + 243 =D
311 + 621 =R
545 + 420 =W
301 + 562 =G
249 + 481 =L
386 + 479 =H
99 + 192 =I
278 + 262 =S
288 + 315 =T
490 + 297 =C
0/15 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We divided the clean practice bibs equally among the teams to see who had the extra leftover gear.
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
7 ÷ 1 = ?
3 ÷ 1 = ?
10 ÷ 10 = ?
4 ÷ 2 = ?
48 ÷ 8 = ?
63 ÷ 7 = ?
70 ÷ 7 = ?
36 ÷ 9 = ?
35 ÷ 7 = ?
121 ÷ 11 = ?
72 ÷ 9 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain scores a power header, then adjusts their striped headband.
2.The villain performs a bicycle kick, then shows off their neon cleats.
3.The villain does a dribble spin, then adjusts their striped headband.
4.The villain does a dribble spin, then taps their lucky wristband.
5.The villain performs a bicycle kick, then taps their lucky wristband.
6.The villain scores a power header, then polishes their golden shin guards.
7.The villain curves a free kick, then taps their lucky wristband.
8.The villain scores a power header, then taps their lucky wristband.
9.The villain performs a bicycle kick, then adjusts their striped headband.
10.The villain does a dribble spin, then blows their silver whistle.
11.The villain does a dribble spin, then polishes their golden shin guards.
12.The villain performs a bicycle kick, then polishes their golden shin guards.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Golden Cup Mystery
Culprit: Cristiano Ronaldo (Bicycle Kick · Golden Shin Guards · Right Footed · Curly Blonde Hair · Orange Slices)
- Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE THIEF DOES NOT WEAR A SILVER WHISTLE"Round 3,525 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (T) · Round 534 to the nearest hundred = 500 (R) · Round 71 to the nearest ten = 70 (V) · Round 62 to the nearest ten = 60 (O) · Round 432 to the nearest hundred = 400 (L) · Round 3,394 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (I) · Round 5,539 to the nearest thousand = 6000 (H) · Round 90 to the nearest ten = 90 (E) · Round 949 to the nearest hundred = 900 (D) · Round 5,485 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (N) · Round 1,974 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (W) · Round 77 to the nearest ten = 80 (S) · Round 32 to the nearest ten = 30 (A) · Round 237 to the nearest hundred = 200 (F)
- Clue 2 (Word problems): "THE GRASS WAS TORN BY A RIGHT FOOT"There were 41 tickets. 7 were used. How many are left? = 34 (T) · A detective found 25 clues on Monday and 46 more on Tuesday. How many clues in all? = 71 (B) · There were 107 tickets. 33 were used. How many are left? = 74 (F) · There were 71 tickets. 4 were used. How many are left? = 67 (A) · There were 25 tickets. 7 were used. How many are left? = 18 (G) · A detective found 24 clues on Monday and 5 more on Tuesday. How many clues in all? = 29 (I) · There were 85 tickets. 9 were used. How many are left? = 76 (O) · There are 7 boxes with 11 clues in each box. How many clues in all? = 77 (E) · A detective found 16 clues on Monday and 53 more on Tuesday. How many clues in all? = 69 (S) · There were 72 tickets. 17 were used. How many are left? = 55 (H) · There are 8 boxes with 7 clues in each box. How many clues in all? = 56 (R) · There are 12 boxes with 6 clues in each box. How many clues in all? = 72 (W) · There are 4 boxes with 8 clues in each box. How many clues in all? = 32 (Y) · There were 63 tickets. 38 were used. How many are left? = 25 (N)
- Clue 3 (Bar models): "THE SNEAKY THIEF DROPPED AN ORANGE PEEL"One part is 9 and the other part is 17. What is the whole? = 26 (T) · One part is 1 and the other part is 4. What is the whole? = 5 (G) · The whole is 26. One part is 1. What is the other part? = 25 (S) · One part is 2 and the other part is 2. What is the whole? = 4 (R) · One bar shows 46 and the other shows 17. How much longer is the first bar? = 29 (O) · One bar shows 17 and the other shows 5. How much longer is the first bar? = 12 (F) · The whole is 25. One part is 14. What is the other part? = 11 (K) · The whole is 39. One part is 9. What is the other part? = 30 (P) · One part is 19 and the other part is 2. What is the whole? = 21 (I) · The whole is 18. One part is 11. What is the other part? = 7 (D) · The whole is 39. One part is 19. What is the other part? = 20 (A) · The whole is 36. One part is 19. What is the other part? = 17 (E) · One part is 7 and the other part is 15. What is the whole? = 22 (Y) · The whole is 17. One part is 2. What is the other part? = 15 (L) · One bar shows 14 and the other shows 4. How much longer is the first bar? = 10 (N) · One bar shows 33 and the other shows 10. How much longer is the first bar? = 23 (H)
- Clue 4 (Addition): "A BLONDE HAIR COIL WAS ON THE GRASS"409 + 236 = 645 (A) · 421 + 350 = 771 (O) · 327 + 288 = 615 (E) · 292 + 430 = 722 (B) · 298 + 382 = 680 (N) · 157 + 243 = 400 (D) · 311 + 621 = 932 (R) · 545 + 420 = 965 (W) · 301 + 562 = 863 (G) · 249 + 481 = 730 (L) · 386 + 479 = 865 (H) · 99 + 192 = 291 (I) · 278 + 262 = 540 (S) · 288 + 315 = 603 (T) · 490 + 297 = 787 (C)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 12) → Cristiano Ronaldo7 ÷ 1 = 7 · 3 ÷ 1 = 3 · 10 ÷ 10 = 1 · 4 ÷ 2 = 2 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 63 ÷ 7 = 9 · 70 ÷ 7 = 10 · 36 ÷ 9 = 4 · 35 ÷ 7 = 5 · 121 ÷ 11 = 11 · 72 ÷ 9 = 8
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Rounding, Word problems, Bar models, Addition, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Golden Cup Mystery — set in The Golden Cup Stadium
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects