Grade 3Reading: grades 3-4MultiplicationRoundingAdditionSubtractionDivision
The Great Sky Key Caper
The Great Wind Key has been stolen from the Grand Cloud Palace! Without it, our floating islands will slowly sink into the foggy depths below. As a junior Sky Detective, you must track down the culprit before the islands lose their altitude.
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 | Main Flight Gear | Navigation Tool | Glove Detail | Hair Style | Foil Item |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stormy Stella | grapple hook | map scroll | left handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
| Gavin Glide | steam jetpack | pocket radar | right handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
| Rusty Rotor | wind whistle | spyglass | right handed glove | curly brown hair | shiny mirrors |
| Zephyr Zoey | cloud glider | rope lasso | left handed glove | curly brown hair | shiny mirrors |
| Sky Racer Pip | cloud glider | map scroll | right handed glove | bright red hair | tickle feathers |
| Pilot Penny | cloud glider | spyglass | right handed glove | bright red hair | shiny mirrors |
| Barnaby Blue | steam jetpack | compass ring | right handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
| Miles High | cloud glider | rope lasso | left handed glove | bright red hair | shiny mirrors |
| Navigator Nora | cloud glider | compass ring | left handed glove | curly brown hair | sticky honey |
| Cyrus Cloud | grapple hook | map scroll | left handed glove | curly brown hair | shiny mirrors |
| Skyler Sam | wind whistle | rope lasso | right handed glove | spiky yellow hair | sticky honey |
| Leo Loft | grapple hook | map scroll | left handed glove | bright red hair | tickle feathers |
| Fiona Float | steam jetpack | map scroll | right handed glove | spiky yellow hair | sticky honey |
| Cloud Scout Jax | gale boots | spyglass | right handed glove | bright red hair | tickle feathers |
| Dash Dynamo | grapple hook | map scroll | right handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
| Wendy Wing | wind whistle | spyglass | right handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
| Harper Helm | gale boots | pocket radar | left handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
| Breezy Ben | wind whistle | compass ring | left handed glove | curly brown hair | shiny mirrors |
| Aria Swift | gale boots | map scroll | left handed glove | bright red hair | shiny mirrors |
| Gale Force Gus | cloud glider | rope lasso | right handed glove | bright red hair | shiny mirrors |
| Captain Barnaby | gale boots | rope lasso | right handed glove | curly brown hair | tickle feathers |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We inspect the dock. The airships are parked in neat rows. We count the cargo boxes in each row to unlock the security camera footage.
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
25
132
80
9
77
2
4
18
T
25
4
32
80
96
2
32
T
25
33
96
80
77
7
32
3
5
80
T
25
35
77
4
77
35
5 × 5 =T
1 × 4 =D
7 × 5 =R
1 × 3 =C
11 × 7 =A
9 × 2 =I
3 × 3 =B
1 × 5 =K
12 × 11 =H
2 × 1 =N
3 × 11 =U
8 × 4 =O
8 × 10 =E
1 × 7 =P
8 × 12 =S
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The radar screen is glitching. It only displays rounded distances to the nearest ten. We round the numbers to locate the runner's path.
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
9000
900
3000
6000
30
40
900
T
9000
900
200
60
2000
3000
2000
40
300
20
400
3000
T
9000
20
20
5000
T
9000
900
3000
5000
3000
7000
Round 8,902 to the nearest thousandT
Round 38 to the nearest tenG
Round 5,831 to the nearest thousandR
Round 922 to the nearest hundredH
Round 3,115 to the nearest thousandE
Round 190 to the nearest hundredA
Round 22 to the nearest tenO
Round 6,901 to the nearest thousandY
Round 2,337 to the nearest thousandD
Round 58 to the nearest tenN
Round 322 to the nearest hundredL
Round 5,349 to the nearest thousandK
Round 403 to the nearest hundredV
Round 27 to the nearest tenI
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Addition
The Sky Patrol needs to stock up on emergency fuel. We add up all the coal canisters in the storage room to get their permission to search.
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
304
639
492
510
790
773
967
773
560
T
304
662
773
402
410
772
560
432
773
T
304
662
773
772
790
560
328
981
662
106 + 198 =T
155 + 355 =K
658 + 309 =F
213 + 197 =S
302 + 470 =M
505 + 476 =G
517 + 273 =L
232 + 328 =A
227 + 101 =U
304 + 335 =I
449 + 324 =E
259 + 143 =R
190 + 302 =C
254 + 178 =D
221 + 441 =H
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Subtraction
The thief dropped a bag of glowing cloud crystals. We subtract the crystals still in the bag from the total to see how many fell out.
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
132
841
490
436
A
132
409
382
366
311
126
821
436
713
767
349
436
366
234
409
592
A
132
217
436
234
A
132
841
713
211
311
490
153 - 21 =A
1014 - 301 =L
798 - 389 =N
524 - 158 =O
347 - 113 =W
977 - 136 =S
636 - 254 =D
557 - 346 =E
990 - 223 =Y
248 - 31 =I
691 - 201 =T
787 - 195 =H
697 - 386 =F
389 - 263 =C
703 - 267 =R
620 - 271 =B
1211 - 390 =U
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The sky crew wants to share the remaining pilot snacks equally. We divide the treats to keep them happy so they will share their notes.
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
20 ÷ 4 = ?
28 ÷ 7 = ?
12 ÷ 4 = ?
12 ÷ 1 = ?
11 ÷ 1 = ?
40 ÷ 4 = ?
16 ÷ 2 = ?
56 ÷ 8 = ?
54 ÷ 9 = ?
8 ÷ 8 = ?
27 ÷ 3 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain blasted off with a steam jetpack, then swung down using a rope lasso.
2.The villain blasted off with a steam jetpack, then found north using a compass ring.
3.The villain summoned gusts with a wind whistle, then spotted the escape path with a spyglass.
4.The villain swung with a grapple hook, then checked the escape route on a map scroll.
5.The villain dashed forward with gale boots, then swung down using a rope lasso.
6.The villain dashed forward with gale boots, then tracked guards with a pocket radar.
7.The villain summoned gusts with a wind whistle, then found north using a compass ring.
8.The villain swung with a grapple hook, then spotted the escape path with a spyglass.
9.The villain swung with a grapple hook, then tracked guards with a pocket radar.
10.The villain dashed forward with gale boots, then found north using a compass ring.
11.The villain blasted off with a steam jetpack, then tracked guards with a pocket radar.
12.The villain dashed forward with gale boots, then checked the escape route on a map scroll.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Great Sky Key Caper
Culprit: Barnaby Blue (steam jetpack · compass ring · right handed glove · curly brown hair · tickle feathers)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE A POCKET RADAR"5 × 5 = 25 (T) · 1 × 4 = 4 (D) · 7 × 5 = 35 (R) · 1 × 3 = 3 (C) · 11 × 7 = 77 (A) · 9 × 2 = 18 (I) · 3 × 3 = 9 (B) · 1 × 5 = 5 (K) · 12 × 11 = 132 (H) · 2 × 1 = 2 (N) · 3 × 11 = 33 (U) · 8 × 4 = 32 (O) · 8 × 10 = 80 (E) · 1 × 7 = 7 (P) · 8 × 12 = 96 (S)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE RIGHT HANDED GLOVE TOOK THE KEY"Round 8,902 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (T) · Round 38 to the nearest ten = 40 (G) · Round 5,831 to the nearest thousand = 6000 (R) · Round 922 to the nearest hundred = 900 (H) · Round 3,115 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (E) · Round 190 to the nearest hundred = 200 (A) · Round 22 to the nearest ten = 20 (O) · Round 6,901 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (Y) · Round 2,337 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (D) · Round 58 to the nearest ten = 60 (N) · Round 322 to the nearest hundred = 300 (L) · Round 5,349 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (K) · Round 403 to the nearest hundred = 400 (V) · Round 27 to the nearest ten = 30 (I)
- Clue 3 (Addition): "TICKLE FEATHERS MADE THEM LAUGH"106 + 198 = 304 (T) · 155 + 355 = 510 (K) · 658 + 309 = 967 (F) · 213 + 197 = 410 (S) · 302 + 470 = 772 (M) · 505 + 476 = 981 (G) · 517 + 273 = 790 (L) · 232 + 328 = 560 (A) · 227 + 101 = 328 (U) · 304 + 335 = 639 (I) · 449 + 324 = 773 (E) · 259 + 143 = 402 (R) · 190 + 302 = 492 (C) · 254 + 178 = 432 (D) · 221 + 441 = 662 (H)
- Clue 4 (Subtraction): "A STRAND OF CURLY BROWN HAIR WAS LEFT"153 - 21 = 132 (A) · 1014 - 301 = 713 (L) · 798 - 389 = 409 (N) · 524 - 158 = 366 (O) · 347 - 113 = 234 (W) · 977 - 136 = 841 (S) · 636 - 254 = 382 (D) · 557 - 346 = 211 (E) · 990 - 223 = 767 (Y) · 248 - 31 = 217 (I) · 691 - 201 = 490 (T) · 787 - 195 = 592 (H) · 697 - 386 = 311 (F) · 389 - 263 = 126 (C) · 703 - 267 = 436 (R) · 620 - 271 = 349 (B) · 1211 - 390 = 821 (U)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 2) → Barnaby Blue20 ÷ 4 = 5 · 28 ÷ 7 = 4 · 12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 12 ÷ 1 = 12 · 11 ÷ 1 = 11 · 40 ÷ 4 = 10 · 16 ÷ 2 = 8 · 56 ÷ 8 = 7 · 54 ÷ 9 = 6 · 8 ÷ 8 = 1 · 27 ÷ 3 = 9
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Great Sky Key Caper — set in the floating Sky Islands of Avenia
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects