🏴‍☠️ PiratesGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6MultiplicationAdditionPlace valueSubtractionFractions of a number

The Mystery of the Captain's Compass

Someone sneaked into the Quartermaster's cabin and stole the legendary Golden Compass! The suspect is one of the twenty-four notorious pirates currently docked at Scurvy Cove. It is up to you to decode the clues and find the thief before they set sail.

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	primary tool	lucky charm	writing hand	hair strand	fearsome dread
Gunpowder Gabe	Golden Spyglass	Shark Tooth	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Ticklish
Cutthroat Connor	Boarding Axe	Silver Ring	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Ticklish
Pegleg Pete	Grappling Hook	Shiny Doubloon	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Fear of Heights
Charles Vane	Grappling Hook	Silver Ring	Left Handed	Red Hair	Ticklish
Francis Drake	Golden Spyglass	Shark Tooth	Left Handed	Red Hair	Fear of Toads
William Kidd	Engraved Flintlock	Parrot Feather	Right Handed	Red Hair	Fear of Toads
Anne Bonny	Grappling Hook	Shiny Doubloon	Left Handed	Red Hair	Ticklish
Calico Jack	Heavy Cutlass	Brass Compass	Left Handed	Black Hair	Fear of Toads
Scurvy Sam	Golden Spyglass	Shiny Doubloon	Left Handed	Red Hair	Fear of Heights
Siren Sarah	Boarding Axe	Parrot Feather	Right Handed	Black Hair	Ticklish
Blackbeard	Engraved Flintlock	Shiny Doubloon	Left Handed	Black Hair	Fear of Heights
Plank Walkin Pete	Golden Spyglass	Silver Ring	Right Handed	Black Hair	Ticklish
Barnaby Blue	Engraved Flintlock	Parrot Feather	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Ticklish
Captain Hook	Golden Spyglass	Shark Tooth	Left Handed	Grey Hair	Ticklish
Salty Susan	Engraved Flintlock	Brass Compass	Right Handed	Red Hair	Fear of Toads
Long John Silver	Heavy Cutlass	Shiny Doubloon	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Fear of Heights
Henry Morgan	Engraved Flintlock	Shark Tooth	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Ticklish
Edward England	Grappling Hook	Shark Tooth	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Fear of Heights
Grace O Malley	Engraved Flintlock	Shark Tooth	Left Handed	Black Hair	Ticklish
Mary Read	Boarding Axe	Brass Compass	Right Handed	Grey Hair	Ticklish
Jolly Roger	Golden Spyglass	Silver Ring	Right Handed	Black Hair	Fear of Heights

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The Quartermaster counts the barrels of ship biscuits stacked in identical rows. Solving the total number of biscuits reveals the 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.

100

10 × 8 =T

6 × 8 =H

7 × 4 =P

11 × 4 =E

3 × 6 =O

8 × 12 =D

9 × 7 =A

1 × 11 =C

10 × 10 =N

1 × 7 =R

8 × 8 =W

12 × 1 =F

9 × 9 =U

7 × 10 =S

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Addition

To track down the culprit, the crew tallies up all the cannonballs stored in the cargo hold. This sum gives us our next lead.

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

2544

7554

2122

2544

7554

6042

2122

3350

7554

2122

6245

5133

2544

7554

2122

8375

2122

9191

6042

3375

2544

7554

2122

6042

4623

6042

7074

7554

2544

7554

4031

3375

5133

1556 + 988 =T

2867 + 2266 =D

1422 + 700 =E

2631 + 3411 =I

1641 + 2390 =A

2389 + 3856 =L

1074 + 2276 =F

1399 + 1976 =N

3538 + 5653 =Y

4034 + 3520 =H

2410 + 2213 =R

3208 + 3866 =G

3734 + 4641 =K

0/13 letters found

Clue 3

Place value

The ship's logbook has a mysterious code written across three different digit columns. Looking closely at the place value of the secret number uncovers 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.

8000

500

8000

6000

500

400

300

3000

4000

8000

6000

500

700

300

6000

8000

3000

400

500

3000

8000

500

What is the value of the 8 in 508,403?T

What is the value of the 3 in 83,588?A

What is the value of the 6 in 46,320?I

What is the value of the 6 in 50,464?R

What is the value of the 3 in 197,931?L

What is the value of the 5 in 426,156?K

What is the value of the 3 in 44,368?W

What is the value of the 7 in 42,741?D

What is the value of the 4 in 92,640?H

What is the value of the 4 in 50,412?F

What is the value of the 4 in 174,622?S

What is the value of the 5 in 88,514?E

What is the value of the 8 in 20,785?C

0/13 letters found

Clue 4

Subtraction

We compare the gold doubloons left in the chest to the amount we started with. The missing amount points us directly to a crucial detail about 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.

7634

2420

8025

8530

8361

2772

8951

7485

6715

2420

7279

1835

5118

4210

6715

2772

2420

5118

6715

8916

1835

2420

3511

5118

8820

8916

5118

2731

5183

2420

11838 - 4204 =W

8667 - 642 =F

3550 - 778 =N

8211 - 4001 =I

11919 - 4640 =Y

4080 - 1660 =E

11815 - 2995 =P

6724 - 9 =R

13295 - 4934 =U

7757 - 272 =G

8046 - 4535 =M

11502 - 2551 =D

8975 - 3857 =A

6095 - 4260 =H

11307 - 2391 =T

4425 - 1694 =B

7295 - 2112 =L

11030 - 2500 =O

0/18 letters found

Clue 5

Fractions of a number — the last clue

Only a fraction of the green parrots on the deck are wearing tiny pirate hats. Calculating this exact portion reveals the final piece of evidence.

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

2/6 of 27 = ?

3/6 of 16 = ?

1/4 of 12 = ?

3/6 of 8 = ?

2/6 of 3 = ?

1/10 of 20 = ?

4/10 of 15 = ?

1/4 of 48 = ?

2/6 of 30 = ?

2/8 of 44 = ?

1/6 of 42 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain crept across the wooden deck, then locked the captain's chest.

2.The villain pushed open the creaky cabin door, then locked the captain's chest.

3.The villain crept across the wooden deck, then grabbed the velvet pouch.

4.The villain dropped from the crow's nest, then pocketed the gold trinket.

5.The villain dropped from the crow's nest, then locked the captain's chest.

6.The villain swung down from the rigging, then snatched the dusty map.

7.The villain dropped from the crow's nest, then snatched the dusty map.

8.The villain dropped from the crow's nest, then took the shining compass.

9.The villain swung down from the rigging, then grabbed the velvet pouch.

10.The villain crept across the wooden deck, then snatched the dusty map.

11.The villain crept across the wooden deck, then pocketed the gold trinket.

12.The villain climbed through the porthole, then pocketed the gold trinket.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Mystery of the Captain's Compass

Culprit: Cutthroat Connor (Boarding Axe · Silver Ring · Right Handed · Grey Hair · Ticklish)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT OWN A PARROT FEATHER"
10 × 8 = 80 (T) · 6 × 8 = 48 (H) · 7 × 4 = 28 (P) · 11 × 4 = 44 (E) · 3 × 6 = 18 (O) · 8 × 12 = 96 (D) · 9 × 7 = 63 (A) · 1 × 11 = 11 (C) · 10 × 10 = 100 (N) · 1 × 7 = 7 (R) · 8 × 8 = 64 (W) · 12 × 1 = 12 (F) · 9 × 9 = 81 (U) · 7 × 10 = 70 (S)
Clue 2 (Addition): "THE THIEF HELD THE KEY IN THEIR RIGHT HAND"
1556 + 988 = 2544 (T) · 2867 + 2266 = 5133 (D) · 1422 + 700 = 2122 (E) · 2631 + 3411 = 6042 (I) · 1641 + 2390 = 4031 (A) · 2389 + 3856 = 6245 (L) · 1074 + 2276 = 3350 (F) · 1399 + 1976 = 3375 (N) · 3538 + 5653 = 9191 (Y) · 4034 + 3520 = 7554 (H) · 2410 + 2213 = 4623 (R) · 3208 + 3866 = 7074 (G) · 3734 + 4641 = 8375 (K)
Clue 3 (Place value): "THE THIEF WAS TICKLED WITH A FEATHER"
What is the value of the 8 in 508,403? = 8000 (T) · What is the value of the 3 in 83,588? = 3000 (A) · What is the value of the 6 in 46,320? = 6000 (I) · What is the value of the 6 in 50,464? = 60 (R) · What is the value of the 3 in 197,931? = 30 (L) · What is the value of the 5 in 426,156? = 50 (K) · What is the value of the 3 in 44,368? = 300 (W) · What is the value of the 7 in 42,741? = 700 (D) · What is the value of the 4 in 92,640? = 40 (H) · What is the value of the 4 in 50,412? = 400 (F) · What is the value of the 4 in 174,622? = 4000 (S) · What is the value of the 5 in 88,514? = 500 (E) · What is the value of the 8 in 20,785? = 80 (C)
Clue 4 (Subtraction): "WE FOUND GREY HAIR NEAR THE MAP TABLE"
11838 - 4204 = 7634 (W) · 8667 - 642 = 8025 (F) · 3550 - 778 = 2772 (N) · 8211 - 4001 = 4210 (I) · 11919 - 4640 = 7279 (Y) · 4080 - 1660 = 2420 (E) · 11815 - 2995 = 8820 (P) · 6724 - 9 = 6715 (R) · 13295 - 4934 = 8361 (U) · 7757 - 272 = 7485 (G) · 8046 - 4535 = 3511 (M) · 11502 - 2551 = 8951 (D) · 8975 - 3857 = 5118 (A) · 6095 - 4260 = 1835 (H) · 11307 - 2391 = 8916 (T) · 4425 - 1694 = 2731 (B) · 7295 - 2112 = 5183 (L) · 11030 - 2500 = 8530 (O)
Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 5) → Cutthroat Connor
2/6 of 27 = 9 · 3/6 of 16 = 8 · 1/4 of 12 = 3 · 3/6 of 8 = 4 · 2/6 of 3 = 1 · 1/10 of 20 = 2 · 4/10 of 15 = 6 · 1/4 of 48 = 12 · 2/6 of 30 = 10 · 2/8 of 44 = 11 · 1/6 of 42 = 7

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Addition, Place value, Subtraction, Fractions of a number
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Mystery of the Captain's Compass — set in Scurvy Cove and the deck of the Black Barnacle
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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