🏴‍☠️ Mermaids, PiratesGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision

The Golden Pearl Caper

The legendary Golden Pearl of Coral Cove has been snatched! A sneaky sea thief swam off with it under the cover of the tide. We must search the reef and find the culprit before they escape to the deep ocean.

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	Sea Magic	Pirate Gear	Hook Hand	Hair Color	Weakness
Nerida the Swift	tide calling	map reading	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	scared of crabs
Long John Silver	tide calling	anchor throw	right handed hook	kelp green hair	tickled by seaweed
Delphine the Wise	bubble trap	eel taming	right handed hook	starfish red hair	scared of crabs
Shelly Wave	bubble trap	eel taming	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	tickled by seaweed
Marina Blue	bubble trap	map reading	left handed hook	starfish red hair	sneezes from salt
Patchy the Pirate	ship wrecking	clam shield	right handed hook	kelp green hair	sneezes from salt
Mary Read	coral shaping	anchor throw	right handed hook	starfish red hair	sneezes from salt
Pearl of the Deep	coral shaping	anchor throw	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	tickled by seaweed
Aqua Star	coral shaping	map reading	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	scared of crabs
Billy Bones	coral shaping	clam shield	right handed hook	starfish red hair	scared of crabs
Gulliver Gold	tide calling	anchor throw	left handed hook	kelp green hair	sneezes from salt
Siren Sofia	ship wrecking	clam shield	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	sneezes from salt
Triton Junior	fog spinning	spyglass zoom	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	tickled by seaweed
Captain Redbeard	bubble trap	clam shield	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	sneezes from salt
Barnaby Hook	fog spinning	clam shield	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	tickled by seaweed
Captain Pegleg Pete	coral shaping	map reading	right handed hook	starfish red hair	scared of crabs
Captain Blackbeard	bubble trap	spyglass zoom	left handed hook	starfish red hair	sneezes from salt
Captain Calico Jack	coral shaping	clam shield	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	scared of crabs
Scurvy Sam	fog spinning	anchor throw	left handed hook	seashell pink hair	sneezes from salt
Kailani Tide	coral shaping	map reading	right handed hook	seashell pink hair	tickled by seaweed
Wavelet Wendy	bubble trap	map reading	left handed hook	seashell pink hair	tickled by seaweed

Clue 1

Rounding

Our underwater radar only shows rounded numbers of glowing jellyfish, but it gave us our first 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.

4000

600

6000

4000

600

8000

6000

700

6000

300

400

4000

7000

300

6000

500

9000

2000

300

600

8000

6000

9000

700

Round 3,994 to the nearest thousandT

Round 285 to the nearest hundredS

Round 579 to the nearest hundredH

Round 2,476 to the nearest thousandM

Round 491 to the nearest hundredC

Round 62 to the nearest tenO

Round 9,490 to the nearest thousandL

Round 7,552 to the nearest thousandI

Round 36 to the nearest tenF

Round 6,293 to the nearest thousandE

Round 446 to the nearest hundredN

Round 6,504 to the nearest thousandU

Round 664 to the nearest hundredD

Round 17 to the nearest tenA

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

We gathered up all the dropped gold coins from the seabed to add them up for our next 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.

608

563

288

436

972

849

608

271

563

288

490

620

436

288

793

849

490

697

787

563

608

563

849

972

793

288

793

563

677

546

343 + 265 =T

341 + 508 =A

271 + 275 =K

268 + 222 =R

407 + 213 =U

87 + 184 =C

416 + 371 =G

224 + 473 =I

307 + 486 =D

555 + 417 =N

216 + 347 =H

219 + 217 =S

128 + 160 =E

472 + 205 =O

0/14 letters found

Clue 3

Subtraction

We opened the wooden jewelry chest to see how many precious pearls were taken by 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.

399

883

838

399

883

187

838

574

568

227

203

399

187

414

141

477

838

808

858

592

203

838

227

568

838

808

409 - 10 =T

1031 - 193 =E

498 - 84 =C

852 - 375 =L

536 - 333 =S

840 - 266 =F

1052 - 169 =H

373 - 146 =A

1148 - 340 =D

422 - 281 =K

1137 - 279 =B

647 - 79 =W

570 - 383 =I

674 - 82 =Y

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Multiplication facts (1-12)

We counted the neat rows of wooden barrels on the pirate deck to find the next secret message.

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

108

121

7 × 12 =W

11 × 11 =H

12 × 8 =L

9 × 2 =F

1 × 3 =A

10 × 7 =R

9 × 9 =T

1 × 2 =D

2 × 5 =I

3 × 3 =E

9 × 8 =O

9 × 12 =U

4 × 12 =S

11 × 5 =P

3 × 5 =C

7 × 6 =N

6 × 11 =K

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

We shared the sand dollars equally among our helper sea turtles to get the final hint.

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

77 ÷ 7 = ?

12 ÷ 1 = ?

33 ÷ 11 = ?

32 ÷ 8 = ?

9 ÷ 1 = ?

4 ÷ 4 = ?

96 ÷ 12 = ?

66 ÷ 11 = ?

63 ÷ 9 = ?

55 ÷ 11 = ?

12 ÷ 6 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain spun a thick white fog, then blocked the path with a clam shield.

2.The villain crashed a wooden ship, then tossed a heavy iron anchor.

3.The villain grew sharp coral walls, then tossed a heavy iron anchor.

4.The villain spun a thick white fog, then tossed a heavy iron anchor.

5.The villain crashed a wooden ship, then looked through a gold spyglass.

6.The villain summoned a giant tide, then checked a secret treasure map.

7.The villain summoned a giant tide, then commanded a pet electric eel.

8.The villain crashed a wooden ship, then blocked the path with a clam shield.

9.The villain trapped the guard in a bubble, then looked through a gold spyglass.

10.The villain spun a thick white fog, then looked through a gold spyglass.

11.The villain trapped the guard in a bubble, then commanded a pet electric eel.

12.The villain grew sharp coral walls, then checked a secret treasure map.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Golden Pearl Caper

Culprit: Triton Junior (fog spinning · spyglass zoom · right handed hook · seashell pink hair · tickled by seaweed)

Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE A CLAM SHIELD"
Round 3,994 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (T) · Round 285 to the nearest hundred = 300 (S) · Round 579 to the nearest hundred = 600 (H) · Round 2,476 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (M) · Round 491 to the nearest hundred = 500 (C) · Round 62 to the nearest ten = 60 (O) · Round 9,490 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (L) · Round 7,552 to the nearest thousand = 8000 (I) · Round 36 to the nearest ten = 40 (F) · Round 6,293 to the nearest thousand = 6000 (E) · Round 446 to the nearest hundred = 400 (N) · Round 6,504 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (U) · Round 664 to the nearest hundred = 700 (D) · Round 17 to the nearest ten = 20 (A)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THE SNATCHER USED A RIGHT HANDED HOOK"
343 + 265 = 608 (T) · 341 + 508 = 849 (A) · 271 + 275 = 546 (K) · 268 + 222 = 490 (R) · 407 + 213 = 620 (U) · 87 + 184 = 271 (C) · 416 + 371 = 787 (G) · 224 + 473 = 697 (I) · 307 + 486 = 793 (D) · 555 + 417 = 972 (N) · 216 + 347 = 563 (H) · 219 + 217 = 436 (S) · 128 + 160 = 288 (E) · 472 + 205 = 677 (O)
Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE THIEF WAS TICKLED BY SEAWEED"
409 - 10 = 399 (T) · 1031 - 193 = 838 (E) · 498 - 84 = 414 (C) · 852 - 375 = 477 (L) · 536 - 333 = 203 (S) · 840 - 266 = 574 (F) · 1052 - 169 = 883 (H) · 373 - 146 = 227 (A) · 1148 - 340 = 808 (D) · 422 - 281 = 141 (K) · 1137 - 279 = 858 (B) · 647 - 79 = 568 (W) · 570 - 383 = 187 (I) · 674 - 82 = 592 (Y)
Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WE FOUND SEASHELL PINK HAIR AT THE SCENE"
7 × 12 = 84 (W) · 11 × 11 = 121 (H) · 12 × 8 = 96 (L) · 9 × 2 = 18 (F) · 1 × 3 = 3 (A) · 10 × 7 = 70 (R) · 9 × 9 = 81 (T) · 1 × 2 = 2 (D) · 2 × 5 = 10 (I) · 3 × 3 = 9 (E) · 9 × 8 = 72 (O) · 9 × 12 = 108 (U) · 4 × 12 = 48 (S) · 11 × 5 = 55 (P) · 3 × 5 = 15 (C) · 7 × 6 = 42 (N) · 6 × 11 = 66 (K)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 10) → Triton Junior
77 ÷ 7 = 11 · 12 ÷ 1 = 12 · 33 ÷ 11 = 3 · 32 ÷ 8 = 4 · 9 ÷ 1 = 9 · 4 ÷ 4 = 1 · 96 ÷ 12 = 8 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6 · 63 ÷ 9 = 7 · 55 ÷ 11 = 5 · 12 ÷ 6 = 2

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 3 math
Math topics: Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Golden Pearl Caper — set in Coral Cove Reef
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

More free printable math mysteries

3rd grade worksheets Addition worksheets Subtraction worksheets Multiplication worksheets Division worksheets Rounding worksheets All worksheets →

The Sky Pirate Heist

Grade 3

The Great Server Glitch

Grade 3

The Case of the Golden Monkey Statue

Grade 3

The Case of the Lost Pearl Crown

Grade 3