🔎 FallGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4SubtractionPlace valueAdditionRoundingDivision

The Great Fall Festival Heist

Someone swiped the legendary Golden Acorn right from the Apple Hill Cider Mill! Without it, the autumn festival cannot begin. The Head Cider Maker needs your help to track down the sneaky thief before the leaves all drop!

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	Harvest Skill	Festival Tool	Holding Style	Leaf Crown Color	Distraction
Barnaby	pie baking	copper lantern	left handed grip	orange oak leaf	warm apple cider
Rusty	pie baking	wooden ladle	right handed grip	yellow birch leaf	warm apple cider
Jasper	pie baking	silver rake	right handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Wendell	pumpkin carving	golden shears	right handed grip	orange oak leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Maisie	apple bobbing	copper lantern	right handed grip	red maple leaf	warm apple cider
Rowan	pie baking	bronze bucket	right handed grip	yellow birch leaf	warm apple cider
Hazel	pie baking	copper lantern	right handed grip	orange oak leaf	warm apple cider
Autumn	apple bobbing	wooden ladle	left handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Gideon	apple bobbing	golden shears	right handed grip	red maple leaf	warm apple cider
Beatrix	corn maze building	golden shears	left handed grip	orange oak leaf	warm apple cider
Orla	hayride driving	silver rake	left handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Daphne	hayride driving	wooden ladle	left handed grip	yellow birch leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Caleb	corn maze building	bronze bucket	right handed grip	red maple leaf	sweet cinnamon buns
Hunter	apple bobbing	golden shears	right handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Ginger	pumpkin carving	golden shears	left handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Gourd	apple bobbing	copper lantern	right handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Leif	pumpkin carving	copper lantern	right handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Sawyer	corn maze building	bronze bucket	right handed grip	yellow birch leaf	warm apple cider
Tabitha	corn maze building	bronze bucket	right handed grip	yellow birch leaf	hot pumpkin spice
Willow	corn maze building	golden shears	right handed grip	red maple leaf	sweet cinnamon buns
Piper	corn maze building	wooden ladle	right handed grip	red maple leaf	hot pumpkin spice

Clue 1

Subtraction

We count the apples in the bin and subtract the ones that rolled away to find our first 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.

690

576

281

690

576

215

281

617

116

264

281

348

593

264

690

861

348

281

690

576

281

398

264

116

281

593

257

807

116

257

281

722 - 32 =T

846 - 39 =A

791 - 174 =F

761 - 168 =N

523 - 175 =S

929 - 68 =U

394 - 137 =L

847 - 271 =H

456 - 58 =W

333 - 118 =I

387 - 271 =D

487 - 206 =E

417 - 153 =O

0/13 letters found

Clue 2

Place value

The locker has a three digit code so we look at the tens and ones place value blocks to open it.

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

200

1000

500

3000

1000

200

400

2000

4000

900

200

400

7000

600

1000

600

900

2000

4000

100

What is the value of the 5 in 7,152?T

What is the value of the 3 in 1,936?W

What is the value of the 2 in 9,255?H

What is the value of the 1 in 123?P

What is the value of the 9 in 988?G

What is the value of the 1 in 1,043?E

What is the value of the 3 in 83,061?U

What is the value of the 6 in 681?D

What is the value of the 5 in 524?L

What is the value of the 4 in 4,735?I

What is the value of the 4 in 9,490?A

What is the value of the 1 in 3,815?O

What is the value of the 7 in 97,908?N

What is the value of the 2 in 2,088?R

What is the value of the 4 in 5,948?S

What is the value of the 7 in 278?C

0/16 letters found

Clue 3

Addition

We add up all the pumpkins found in the north patch and south patch to get the 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.

782

891

912

791

883

912

531

955

756

344

274

639

912

756

531

891

274

782

639

670

504

639

955

432

883

791

639

432

433

912

433

670

639

268 + 514 =T

281 + 389 =U

312 + 192 =M

390 + 493 =N

270 + 621 =H

239 + 552 =S

278 + 154 =I

242 + 289 =A

229 + 204 =C

510 + 246 =D

467 + 488 =K

226 + 118 =R

437 + 475 =E

338 + 301 =P

84 + 190 =O

0/15 letters found

Clue 4

Rounding

The rusty orchard scale only rounds weights to the nearest ten giving us a fast estimate.

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

2000

900

9000

700

800

3000

300

7000

2000

3000

8000

300

600

2000

600

2000

300

900

300

400

2000

5000

200

2000

800

2000

Round 89 to the nearest tenW

Round 4,588 to the nearest thousandS

Round 2,785 to the nearest thousandD

Round 8,613 to the nearest thousandO

Round 745 to the nearest hundredU

Round 8,226 to the nearest thousandM

Round 2,153 to the nearest thousandE

Round 429 to the nearest hundredH

Round 580 to the nearest hundredL

Round 7,156 to the nearest thousandR

Round 318 to the nearest hundredA

Round 63 to the nearest tenP

Round 154 to the nearest hundredC

Round 23 to the nearest tenT

Round 943 to the nearest hundredF

Round 809 to the nearest hundredN

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

We divide a bag of sunflower seeds equally among the forest helpers to reveal the last secret.

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

5 ÷ 5 = ?

90 ÷ 10 = ?

25 ÷ 5 = ?

7 ÷ 1 = ?

24 ÷ 4 = ?

24 ÷ 12 = ?

144 ÷ 12 = ?

66 ÷ 6 = ?

3 ÷ 1 = ?

80 ÷ 8 = ?

44 ÷ 11 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain carves a spooky pumpkin face, then lights up the dark with a copper lantern.

2.The villain steers the noisy hayride tractor, then scoops up cool water in a bronze bucket.

3.The villain carves a spooky pumpkin face, then snips the vines with golden shears.

4.The villain bakes a giant flaky apple pie, then snips the vines with golden shears.

5.The villain bobs for three apples at once, then lights up the dark with a copper lantern.

6.The villain creates a tricky corn maze path, then snips the vines with golden shears.

7.The villain carves a spooky pumpkin face, then sweeps the path with a silver rake.

8.The villain bobs for three apples at once, then snips the vines with golden shears.

9.The villain bakes a giant flaky apple pie, then sweeps the path with a silver rake.

10.The villain bobs for three apples at once, then sweeps the path with a silver rake.

11.The villain steers the noisy hayride tractor, then snips the vines with golden shears.

12.The villain bakes a giant flaky apple pie, then lights up the dark with a copper lantern.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Great Fall Festival Heist

Culprit: Hunter (apple bobbing · golden shears · right handed grip · red maple leaf · hot pumpkin spice)

Clue 1 (Subtraction): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE THE WOODEN LADLE"
722 - 32 = 690 (T) · 846 - 39 = 807 (A) · 791 - 174 = 617 (F) · 761 - 168 = 593 (N) · 523 - 175 = 348 (S) · 929 - 68 = 861 (U) · 394 - 137 = 257 (L) · 847 - 271 = 576 (H) · 456 - 58 = 398 (W) · 333 - 118 = 215 (I) · 387 - 271 = 116 (D) · 487 - 206 = 281 (E) · 417 - 153 = 264 (O)
Clue 2 (Place value): "THE CLUE SHOWS A RIGHT HANDED GRIP"
What is the value of the 5 in 7,152? = 50 (T) · What is the value of the 3 in 1,936? = 30 (W) · What is the value of the 2 in 9,255? = 200 (H) · What is the value of the 1 in 123? = 100 (P) · What is the value of the 9 in 988? = 900 (G) · What is the value of the 1 in 1,043? = 1000 (E) · What is the value of the 3 in 83,061? = 3000 (U) · What is the value of the 6 in 681? = 600 (D) · What is the value of the 5 in 524? = 500 (L) · What is the value of the 4 in 4,735? = 4000 (I) · What is the value of the 4 in 9,490? = 400 (A) · What is the value of the 1 in 3,815? = 10 (O) · What is the value of the 7 in 97,908? = 7000 (N) · What is the value of the 2 in 2,088? = 2000 (R) · What is the value of the 4 in 5,948? = 40 (S) · What is the value of the 7 in 278? = 70 (C)
Clue 3 (Addition): "THE SNEAK DROPPED A HOT PUMPKIN SPICE CUP"
268 + 514 = 782 (T) · 281 + 389 = 670 (U) · 312 + 192 = 504 (M) · 390 + 493 = 883 (N) · 270 + 621 = 891 (H) · 239 + 552 = 791 (S) · 278 + 154 = 432 (I) · 242 + 289 = 531 (A) · 229 + 204 = 433 (C) · 510 + 246 = 756 (D) · 467 + 488 = 955 (K) · 226 + 118 = 344 (R) · 437 + 475 = 912 (E) · 338 + 301 = 639 (P) · 84 + 190 = 274 (O)
Clue 4 (Rounding): "WE FOUND A RED MAPLE LEAF AT THE SCENE"
Round 89 to the nearest ten = 90 (W) · Round 4,588 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (S) · Round 2,785 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (D) · Round 8,613 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (O) · Round 745 to the nearest hundred = 700 (U) · Round 8,226 to the nearest thousand = 8000 (M) · Round 2,153 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (E) · Round 429 to the nearest hundred = 400 (H) · Round 580 to the nearest hundred = 600 (L) · Round 7,156 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (R) · Round 318 to the nearest hundred = 300 (A) · Round 63 to the nearest ten = 60 (P) · Round 154 to the nearest hundred = 200 (C) · Round 23 to the nearest ten = 20 (T) · Round 943 to the nearest hundred = 900 (F) · Round 809 to the nearest hundred = 800 (N)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 8) → Hunter
5 ÷ 5 = 1 · 90 ÷ 10 = 9 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 7 ÷ 1 = 7 · 24 ÷ 4 = 6 · 24 ÷ 12 = 2 · 144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 66 ÷ 6 = 11 · 3 ÷ 1 = 3 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 44 ÷ 11 = 4

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 3 math
Math topics: Subtraction, Place value, Addition, Rounding, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Great Fall Festival Heist — set in Apple Hill Orchard
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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