🔎 Fall themedGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4SubtractionPlace valueWord problemsAdditionDivision
The Mystery of the Autumn Harvest Bandit
The annual Autumn Harvest Festival is in trouble! Someone stole the Golden Pumpkin Trophy right before the big contest. Leaves are scattered everywhere, and a mysterious draft of cool wind blows through the festival grounds. Work together to track down the sneaky bandit!
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 Trick | Escape Route | Dominant Hand | Hair Style | Foil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter | cider splashing | scarf tangling | left handed | orange braids | warm pie scent |
| Ash | mist summoning | scarf tangling | left handed | orange braids | bright flashlight |
| Rusty | mist summoning | crow summoning | right handed | orange braids | rake sweep |
| Russell | acorn throwing | scarf tangling | left handed | orange braids | warm pie scent |
| Ginger | leaf swirling | apple grabbing | left handed | orange braids | rake sweep |
| Barnaby | pumpkin rolling | apple grabbing | right handed | golden curls | bright flashlight |
| Goldie | pumpkin rolling | wood carving | left handed | orange braids | warm pie scent |
| Amber | pumpkin rolling | wood carving | left handed | golden curls | bright flashlight |
| Willow | acorn throwing | apple grabbing | left handed | orange braids | rake sweep |
| Crisp | acorn throwing | apple grabbing | left handed | orange braids | warm pie scent |
| Penny | pumpkin rolling | crow summoning | right handed | brown locks | bright flashlight |
| Silas | leaf swirling | maze hiding | left handed | orange braids | warm pie scent |
| Cider | mist summoning | wood carving | right handed | brown locks | bright flashlight |
| Hazel | leaf swirling | scarf tangling | right handed | orange braids | warm pie scent |
| Gale | mist summoning | crow summoning | left handed | brown locks | rake sweep |
| Autumn | mist summoning | wood carving | left handed | golden curls | bright flashlight |
| Aspen | pumpkin rolling | scarf tangling | left handed | golden curls | warm pie scent |
| Jack | leaf swirling | crow summoning | left handed | brown locks | warm pie scent |
| Rowan | mist summoning | apple grabbing | right handed | brown locks | bright flashlight |
| Woody | pumpkin rolling | crow summoning | left handed | brown locks | bright flashlight |
| Maple | mist summoning | apple grabbing | left handed | orange braids | bright flashlight |
Clue 1
Subtraction
The Orchard Keeper counted forty-five champion gourds this morning. Now there are only twenty-eight left! Subtraction shows how many the Leaf Bandit swiped.
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
123
702
829
257
594
574
815
737
T
123
815
401
829
851
574
401
T
123
815
401
505
401
401
815
347
594
299
278
737
574
808
230 - 107 =T
514 - 113 =O
842 - 13 =E
555 - 298 =B
872 - 135 =I
762 - 60 =H
564 - 265 =R
922 - 114 =G
845 - 30 =D
958 - 107 =S
613 - 266 =C
782 - 277 =W
910 - 336 =N
864 - 270 =A
282 - 4 =V
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Place value
The festival scoreboard has three digits. If you look at the tens place and the hundreds place, the numbers tell us exactly where the suspect dropped their map.
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
3000
6000
5000
T
3000
6000
7000
5000
60
6000
5000
4000
400
T
3000
6000
5000
2000
7000
400
5000
8000
70
7000
T
3000
6000
T
3000
6000
5000
4000
5000
60
T
3000
6000
600
300
400
What is the value of the 3 in 3,759?T
What is the value of the 6 in 7,684?A
What is the value of the 8 in 38,792?R
What is the value of the 7 in 57,498?I
What is the value of the 3 in 398?N
What is the value of the 6 in 2,868?F
What is the value of the 6 in 56,750?H
What is the value of the 4 in 401?D
What is the value of the 2 in 32,643?C
What is the value of the 4 in 4,027?L
What is the value of the 7 in 9,076?W
What is the value of the 5 in 5,804?E
0/12 letters found
Clue 3
Word problems
We need to solve some quick riddles about baking pumpkin pies to figure out which path the runner took into the woods.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Someonescaredthevillainoffwith .
W
33
35
26
77
32
71
9
S
C
9
N
T
Squirrel lined up 11 rows of 3 scarves. How many scarves in all?W
There were 29 scarves. 3 were used up. How many scarves are left?R
Squirrel found 36 acorns yesterday and 35 more today. How many acorns in all?I
Squirrel lined up 7 rows of 5 acorns. How many acorns in all?A
Squirrel found 6 pumpkins yesterday and 3 more today. How many pumpkins in all?E
Squirrel lined up 8 rows of 4 acorns. How many acorns in all?P
Squirrel lined up 7 rows of 11 apples. How many apples in all?M
0/7 letters found
Clue 4
Addition
Let's tally up all the fallen pinecones and colorful oak leaves found near the crime scene. Adding them together gives us the code to the suspect locker.
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
463
732
524
876
556
856
333
876
384
691
856
587
732
584
384
691
757
333
743
757
856
448
957
732
726
732
691
524
808
757
726
732
225 + 238 =W
102 + 231 =D
507 + 225 =E
386 + 357 =S
350 + 376 =L
515 + 293 =P
168 + 388 =U
257 + 191 =T
555 + 402 =H
462 + 394 =N
609 + 267 =O
353 + 171 =F
363 + 328 =A
313 + 271 =B
181 + 203 =R
299 + 288 =G
270 + 487 =I
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We have twenty-four apple cider donuts to share equally among our search party of eight. Divvy them up to keep everyone energized for the final chase!
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
60 ÷ 6 = ?
36 ÷ 4 = ?
72 ÷ 9 = ?
72 ÷ 6 = ?
6 ÷ 6 = ?
24 ÷ 6 = ?
45 ÷ 9 = ?
42 ÷ 6 = ?
60 ÷ 10 = ?
6 ÷ 2 = ?
99 ÷ 9 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain splashed sweet apple cider everywhere, then grabbed all the red apples.
2.The villain swirled a giant pile of orange leaves, then hid deep inside the corn maze.
3.The villain summoned a thick autumn mist, then carved scary faces on the trees.
4.The villain rolled a massive pumpkin down the hill, then tangled up the wool scarves.
5.The villain swirled a giant pile of orange leaves, then carved scary faces on the trees.
6.The villain threw a shower of shiny acorns, then summoned a flock of noisy crows.
7.The villain splashed sweet apple cider everywhere, then summoned a flock of noisy crows.
8.The villain threw a shower of shiny acorns, then grabbed all the red apples.
9.The villain threw a shower of shiny acorns, then tangled up the wool scarves.
10.The villain splashed sweet apple cider everywhere, then tangled up the wool scarves.
11.The villain summoned a thick autumn mist, then tangled up the wool scarves.
12.The villain threw a shower of shiny acorns, then hid deep inside the corn maze.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Autumn Harvest Bandit
Culprit: Silas (leaf swirling · maze hiding · left handed · orange braids · warm pie scent)
- Clue 1 (Subtraction): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT DO WOOD CARVING"230 - 107 = 123 (T) · 514 - 113 = 401 (O) · 842 - 13 = 829 (E) · 555 - 298 = 257 (B) · 872 - 135 = 737 (I) · 762 - 60 = 702 (H) · 564 - 265 = 299 (R) · 922 - 114 = 808 (G) · 845 - 30 = 815 (D) · 958 - 107 = 851 (S) · 613 - 266 = 347 (C) · 782 - 277 = 505 (W) · 910 - 336 = 574 (N) · 864 - 270 = 594 (A) · 282 - 4 = 278 (V)
- Clue 2 (Place value): "THE THIEF HELD THE CIDER WITH THE LEFT HAND"What is the value of the 3 in 3,759? = 3000 (T) · What is the value of the 6 in 7,684? = 600 (A) · What is the value of the 8 in 38,792? = 8000 (R) · What is the value of the 7 in 57,498? = 7000 (I) · What is the value of the 3 in 398? = 300 (N) · What is the value of the 6 in 2,868? = 60 (F) · What is the value of the 6 in 56,750? = 6000 (H) · What is the value of the 4 in 401? = 400 (D) · What is the value of the 2 in 32,643? = 2000 (C) · What is the value of the 4 in 4,027? = 4000 (L) · What is the value of the 7 in 9,076? = 70 (W) · What is the value of the 5 in 5,804? = 5000 (E)
- Clue 3 (Word problems): "WARM PIE SCENT"Squirrel lined up 11 rows of 3 scarves. How many scarves in all? = 33 (W) · There were 29 scarves. 3 were used up. How many scarves are left? = 26 (R) · Squirrel found 36 acorns yesterday and 35 more today. How many acorns in all? = 71 (I) · Squirrel lined up 7 rows of 5 acorns. How many acorns in all? = 35 (A) · Squirrel found 6 pumpkins yesterday and 3 more today. How many pumpkins in all? = 9 (E) · Squirrel lined up 8 rows of 4 acorns. How many acorns in all? = 32 (P) · Squirrel lined up 7 rows of 11 apples. How many apples in all? = 77 (M)
- Clue 4 (Addition): "WE FOUND ORANGE BRAIDS IN THE LEAF PILE"225 + 238 = 463 (W) · 102 + 231 = 333 (D) · 507 + 225 = 732 (E) · 386 + 357 = 743 (S) · 350 + 376 = 726 (L) · 515 + 293 = 808 (P) · 168 + 388 = 556 (U) · 257 + 191 = 448 (T) · 555 + 402 = 957 (H) · 462 + 394 = 856 (N) · 609 + 267 = 876 (O) · 353 + 171 = 524 (F) · 363 + 328 = 691 (A) · 313 + 271 = 584 (B) · 181 + 203 = 384 (R) · 299 + 288 = 587 (G) · 270 + 487 = 757 (I)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 2) → Silas60 ÷ 6 = 10 · 36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 72 ÷ 9 = 8 · 72 ÷ 6 = 12 · 6 ÷ 6 = 1 · 24 ÷ 6 = 4 · 45 ÷ 9 = 5 · 42 ÷ 6 = 7 · 60 ÷ 10 = 6 · 6 ÷ 2 = 3 · 99 ÷ 9 = 11
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Subtraction, Place value, Word problems, Addition, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Autumn Harvest Bandit — set in Maple Valley Farm
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects