🔎 Halloween, pumpkins, fallGrade 5Reading: grades 3-4AdditionSubtractionMultiplicationFractions of a numberDivision
The Great Pumpkin Patch Caper
The giant, prize-winning pumpkin has vanished from the patch! All that remains are some squashed vines and a chilly autumn breeze. We must track down the culprit before the spooky Halloween Festival begins tonight!
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 | Trick Power | Fall Gear | Carving Style | Autumn Headwear | Secret Obstacle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnaby Bale | Spooky Shadow Warp | Corn Husk Cape | Carries a left handed carving knife | Black pointed hood | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Autumn Avery | Crows Call | Hay Bale Armor | Carries a left handed carving knife | Black pointed hood | Stops to eat pumpkin pie |
| Molly Moon | Spooky Shadow Warp | Haunted Lantern | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Paula Pipsqueak | Pumpkin Blast | Hay Bale Armor | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Stops to eat pumpkin pie |
| Tammy Treat | Pumpkin Blast | Haunted Lantern | Carries a right handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Stops to eat pumpkin pie |
| Oliver Owl | Crows Call | Witch Broom | Carries a right handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Sammy Squash | Crows Call | Corn Husk Cape | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Stops to eat pumpkin pie |
| Sally Scarecrow | Spooky Shadow Warp | Haunted Lantern | Carries a left handed carving knife | Black pointed hood | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Peter Patch | Wind Gust | Candied Apple Shield | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Wendy Witch | Wind Gust | Haunted Lantern | Carries a right handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Charlie Cider | Pumpkin Blast | Candied Apple Shield | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Jack Lantern | Spooky Shadow Warp | Corn Husk Cape | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Ghostly Gabe | Spooky Shadow Warp | Haunted Lantern | Carries a left handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Scared of scarecrows |
| Hunter Harvest | Wind Gust | Witch Broom | Carries a left handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Stops to eat pumpkin pie |
| Billy Boo | Pumpkin Blast | Haunted Lantern | Carries a right handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Scared of scarecrows |
| Cora Corn | Pumpkin Blast | Candied Apple Shield | Carries a right handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Scared of scarecrows |
| Hazel Nut | Vine Grab | Hay Bale Armor | Carries a left handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Scared of scarecrows |
| Bobby Bat | Pumpkin Blast | Haunted Lantern | Carries a left handed carving knife | Orange stem hat | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Pippa Pumpkin | Wind Gust | Corn Husk Cape | Carries a right handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Stops to eat pumpkin pie |
| Rusty Maple | Spooky Shadow Warp | Witch Broom | Carries a right handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Allergic to cinnamon |
| Penny Pie | Wind Gust | Candied Apple Shield | Carries a right handed carving knife | Green leaf beanie | Allergic to cinnamon |
Clue 1
Addition
To track the bandit, we tallied the squashed pumpkins in each row of the patch. Adding up the broken gourds revealed 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.
T
2840
8607
4884
T
2840
8607
4859
4884
4694
7200
9042
4884
2148
8041
9042
T
2840
6522
4884
7734
5567
7734
4846
9042
5567
8041
8607
6504
2148
9336
4846
7734
9672
4884
1208 + 1632 =T
3632 + 4409 =N
3796 + 4811 =H
4078 + 5258 =K
2516 + 4006 =W
4659 + 4383 =O
6116 + 3556 =P
2552 + 3015 =R
1469 + 3377 =C
4212 + 2292 =U
4402 + 2798 =D
2341 + 2353 =F
2663 + 2221 =E
1075 + 1073 =S
4881 + 2853 =A
1842 + 3017 =I
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
The thief snatched some apples from the basket. We subtracted the remaining apples from the starting total to find how many they took.
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
3380
7789
8947
8198
2464
8198
4748
8947
1613
T
3380
1613
8687
2207
4258
8947
8198
5739
6579
T
3380
7789
T
3380
7789
8947
6579
2207
6310
8947
6209
T
3380
7789
8687
5180
5149
7990 - 4610 =T
8483 - 3735 =P
11312 - 3523 =H
8797 - 3058 =W
11107 - 2420 =A
7884 - 2735 =D
9641 - 3331 =L
12577 - 4379 =S
4425 - 167 =V
4633 - 3020 =C
7034 - 4570 =U
10111 - 1164 =E
6261 - 1081 =N
8089 - 1510 =I
3263 - 1056 =R
10638 - 4429 =F
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We counted the rows of corn mazes. Multiplying the rows by the number of stalks in each row led us to a dropped 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
63
15
14
84
60
14
14
144
100
60
30
64
100
10
10
88
100
60
15
88
T
63
14
84
16
100
60
60
88
21
35
60
9 × 7 =T
5 × 12 =N
2 × 7 =E
10 × 10 =I
7 × 5 =O
7 × 3 =M
5 × 3 =H
12 × 7 =S
2 × 5 =L
8 × 11 =A
12 × 12 =Z
8 × 8 =V
8 × 2 =C
6 × 5 =G
0/14 letters found
Clue 4
Fractions of a number
The bandit dropped some candy corn. We calculated exactly half of the dropped pile to figure out where they headed next.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
W
40
27
18
17
32
30
21
9
30
17
39
9
30
8
27
7
5
27
10
37
9
5
9
5
5
37
27
26
9
5
2
37
2/3 of 60 =W
1/2 of 10 =T
3/4 of 52 =R
5/10 of 16 =G
5/10 of 64 =U
1/10 of 70 =S
2/4 of 60 =N
5/10 of 18 =A
3/6 of 36 =F
3/6 of 20 =M
1/2 of 74 =H
1/10 of 170 =O
4/10 of 65 =P
3/6 of 42 =D
1/4 of 108 =E
1/3 of 6 =C
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We shared the remaining pie slices equally among our team. Dividing the slices gave us the final hint we needed.
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
18 ÷ 3 = ?
14 ÷ 2 = ?
27 ÷ 3 = ?
30 ÷ 6 = ?
100 ÷ 10 = ?
40 ÷ 10 = ?
44 ÷ 4 = ?
108 ÷ 9 = ?
80 ÷ 10 = ?
18 ÷ 9 = ?
36 ÷ 12 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain scared away the farm crows, then stole a warm mug of apple cider.
2.The villain smashed three small gourds, then left a trail of candy wrappers.
3.The villain smashed three small gourds, then howled like a graveyard wolf.
4.The villain smashed three small gourds, then dropped a bunch of dry leaves.
5.The villain rolled pumpkins down the hill, then dropped a bunch of dry leaves.
6.The villain smashed three small gourds, then splattered pumpkin seeds everywhere.
7.The villain carved a giant spooky face, then splattered pumpkin seeds everywhere.
8.The villain tangled up the grapevines, then left a trail of candy wrappers.
9.The villain smashed three small gourds, then stole a warm mug of apple cider.
10.The villain carved a giant spooky face, then left a trail of candy wrappers.
11.The villain scared away the farm crows, then left a trail of candy wrappers.
12.The villain carved a giant spooky face, then dropped a bunch of dry leaves.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Great Pumpkin Patch Caper
Culprit: Molly Moon (Spooky Shadow Warp · Haunted Lantern · Carries a left handed carving knife · Orange stem hat · Allergic to cinnamon)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE THIEF DOES NOT WEAR A CORN HUSK CAPE"1208 + 1632 = 2840 (T) · 3632 + 4409 = 8041 (N) · 3796 + 4811 = 8607 (H) · 4078 + 5258 = 9336 (K) · 2516 + 4006 = 6522 (W) · 4659 + 4383 = 9042 (O) · 6116 + 3556 = 9672 (P) · 2552 + 3015 = 5567 (R) · 1469 + 3377 = 4846 (C) · 4212 + 2292 = 6504 (U) · 4402 + 2798 = 7200 (D) · 2341 + 2353 = 4694 (F) · 2663 + 2221 = 4884 (E) · 1075 + 1073 = 2148 (S) · 4881 + 2853 = 7734 (A) · 1842 + 3017 = 4859 (I)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE SUSPECT CARVES WITH THEIR LEFT HAND"7990 - 4610 = 3380 (T) · 8483 - 3735 = 4748 (P) · 11312 - 3523 = 7789 (H) · 8797 - 3058 = 5739 (W) · 11107 - 2420 = 8687 (A) · 7884 - 2735 = 5149 (D) · 9641 - 3331 = 6310 (L) · 12577 - 4379 = 8198 (S) · 4425 - 167 = 4258 (V) · 4633 - 3020 = 1613 (C) · 7034 - 4570 = 2464 (U) · 10111 - 1164 = 8947 (E) · 6261 - 1081 = 5180 (N) · 8089 - 1510 = 6579 (I) · 3263 - 1056 = 2207 (R) · 10638 - 4429 = 6209 (F)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE SNEEZING VILLAIN HATES CINNAMON"9 × 7 = 63 (T) · 5 × 12 = 60 (N) · 2 × 7 = 14 (E) · 10 × 10 = 100 (I) · 7 × 5 = 35 (O) · 7 × 3 = 21 (M) · 5 × 3 = 15 (H) · 12 × 7 = 84 (S) · 2 × 5 = 10 (L) · 8 × 11 = 88 (A) · 12 × 12 = 144 (Z) · 8 × 8 = 64 (V) · 8 × 2 = 16 (C) · 6 × 5 = 30 (G)
- Clue 4 (Fractions of a number): "WE FOUND AN ORANGE STEM HAT AT THE PATCH"2/3 of 60 = 40 (W) · 1/2 of 10 = 5 (T) · 3/4 of 52 = 39 (R) · 5/10 of 16 = 8 (G) · 5/10 of 64 = 32 (U) · 1/10 of 70 = 7 (S) · 2/4 of 60 = 30 (N) · 5/10 of 18 = 9 (A) · 3/6 of 36 = 18 (F) · 3/6 of 20 = 10 (M) · 1/2 of 74 = 37 (H) · 1/10 of 170 = 17 (O) · 4/10 of 65 = 26 (P) · 3/6 of 42 = 21 (D) · 1/4 of 108 = 27 (E) · 1/3 of 6 = 2 (C)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 1) → Molly Moon18 ÷ 3 = 6 · 14 ÷ 2 = 7 · 27 ÷ 3 = 9 · 30 ÷ 6 = 5 · 100 ÷ 10 = 10 · 40 ÷ 10 = 4 · 44 ÷ 4 = 11 · 108 ÷ 9 = 12 · 80 ÷ 10 = 8 · 18 ÷ 9 = 2 · 36 ÷ 12 = 3
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Fractions of a number, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Great Pumpkin Patch Caper — set in Spooky Hollow Pumpkin Patch
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects