🏴☠️ PiratesGrade 10Reading: grades 3-4Fractions of a numberWord problemsBar modelsRounding
The Mystery of the Golden Anchor
Someone has stolen the Governor's shiny Golden Anchor! The harbor is locked down. Only the cleverest deckhand can solve the clues, find the true pirate thief, and save the day before they sail away.
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 Skill | Special Talent | Physical Tell | Hair Color | Secret Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Rackham | Map Reading | Treasure Hunting | Right Handed | Red Hair | Easily Distracted |
| William Dampier | Ship Sailing | Treasure Hunting | Right Handed | Black Hair | Ticklish Feet |
| Anne Bonny | Cannon Blasting | Sea Shanty Singing | Left Handed | Black Hair | Ticklish Feet |
| Captain Kidd | Map Reading | Knot Tying | Right Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Calico Jack | Rope Swinging | Sea Shanty Singing | Left Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Charles Vane | Sword Fighting | Plank Walking | Left Handed | Gray Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Henry Morgan | Rope Swinging | Treasure Hunting | Right Handed | Gray Hair | Ticklish Feet |
| Samuel Bellamy | Sword Fighting | Treasure Hunting | Left Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Francis Drake | Map Reading | Parrot Training | Left Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Christopher Condent | Cannon Blasting | Treasure Hunting | Left Handed | Gray Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Grace OMalley | Cannon Blasting | Parrot Training | Left Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Jean Lafitte | Rope Swinging | Sea Shanty Singing | Right Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Thomas Tew | Ship Sailing | Parrot Training | Right Handed | Black Hair | Afraid of Sharks |
| Stede Bonnet | Map Reading | Sea Shanty Singing | Right Handed | Red Hair | Afraid of Sharks |
| Richard Worley | Ship Sailing | Parrot Training | Left Handed | Gray Hair | Ticklish Feet |
| Sadie the Goat | Map Reading | Treasure Hunting | Right Handed | Gray Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Howell Davis | Cannon Blasting | Sea Shanty Singing | Left Handed | Gray Hair | Afraid of Sharks |
| Bartholomew Roberts | Sword Fighting | Knot Tying | Right Handed | Gray Hair | Afraid of Sharks |
| Edward England | Rope Swinging | Sea Shanty Singing | Left Handed | Gray Hair | Ticklish Feet |
| Mary Read | Ship Sailing | Plank Walking | Left Handed | Black Hair | Easily Distracted |
| Charlotte de Berry | Cannon Blasting | Plank Walking | Left Handed | Red Hair | Ticklish Feet |
Clue 1
Fractions of a number
First Mate Barnaby splits a chest of silver coins into equal piles to see how many the crew 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
42
59
6
34
31
52
14
T
42
6
24
26
6
44
28
26
T
42
59
14
27
6
34
15
14
28
5
32
14
15
5
31
28
43
4/6 of 63 =T
2/8 of 56 =A
2/3 of 51 =P
3/6 of 104 =R
5/10 of 52 =O
2/8 of 60 =L
1/3 of 177 =H
5/8 of 8 =K
1/4 of 24 =E
1/6 of 192 =W
3/10 of 90 =V
5/10 of 86 =G
6/8 of 32 =D
8/10 of 55 =S
4/5 of 35 =N
2/8 of 124 =I
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Word problems
We count the empty rum barrels and gunpowder crates left behind on the wooden dock.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Awitnesssawthevillainwas .
L
40
43
73
110
26
14
63
D
43
D
Quartermaster Higgins lined up 4 rows of 10 hardtack biscuits. How many hardtack biscuits in all?L
Quartermaster Higgins found 19 coconuts yesterday and 7 more today. How many coconuts in all?H
Quartermaster Higgins lined up 11 rows of 10 spyglasses. How many spyglasses in all?T
Quartermaster Higgins lined up 2 rows of 7 hardtack biscuits. How many hardtack biscuits in all?A
There were 83 doubloons. 10 were used up. How many doubloons are left?F
Quartermaster Higgins lined up 9 rows of 7 spyglasses. How many spyglasses in all?N
There were 77 cannonballs. 34 were used up. How many cannonballs are left?E
0/7 letters found
Clue 3
Bar model word problems
The shipwright compares the lengths of the broken deck planks side by side to find the damage.
Draw a bar model to solve each word problem. Its answer reveals a letter — write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Someonescaredthevillainoffwith .
E
94
98
62
110
29
114
72
110
62
T
R
98
C
T
E
94
72
Quartermaster Higgins shares 188 hardtack biscuits equally among 2 teams. How many hardtack biscuits does each team get?
draw a bar model
Answer:→E
One group collected 81 hardtack biscuits and another group collected 33 hardtack biscuits. How many hardtack biscuits in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→Y
Quartermaster Higgins has 145 doubloons, packed 5 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?
draw a bar model
Answer:→L
There were 107 coconuts in all. 9 coconuts were used. How many coconuts are left?
draw a bar model
Answer:→A
One group collected 41 doubloons and another group collected 69 doubloons. How many doubloons in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→I
Quartermaster Higgins has 216 hardtack biscuits, packed 3 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?
draw a bar model
Answer:→D
The red team has 70 doubloons and the blue team has 8 doubloons. How many more doubloons does the red team have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→S
0/7 letters found
Clue 4
Rounding
The lookouts look through their spyglasses and round the ship distances to the nearest ten.
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
430
130
290
T
430
130
70
290
7000
130
1700
2000
90
3000
1700
2900
3700
130
1700
70
4300
Round 434 to the nearest tenT
Round 288 to the nearest tenE
Round 1,734 to the nearest hundredA
Round 2,901 to the nearest hundredC
Round 6,881 to the nearest thousandF
Round 71 to the nearest tenI
Round 2,747 to the nearest thousandL
Round 2,294 to the nearest thousandS
Round 3,727 to the nearest hundredK
Round 4,272 to the nearest hundredR
Round 134 to the nearest tenH
Round 88 to the nearest tenB
0/12 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
The quartermaster divides the captured pirate flags into shares to see who gets the most.
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
1/4 of 36 = ?
4/8 of 4 = ?
1/10 of 40 = ?
1/4 of 20 = ?
2/6 of 33 = ?
2/10 of 35 = ?
3/6 of 12 = ?
3/6 of 16 = ?
1/4 of 12 = ?
1/2 of 2 = ?
6/10 of 20 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain swings from the main mast rope, then ties a double sailor knot.
2.The villain swings from the main mast rope, then sings a loud sea shanty.
3.The villain studies the secret island map, then sings a loud sea shanty.
4.The villain studies the secret island map, then whispers to a green parrot.
5.The villain challenges the crew to a duel, then whispers to a green parrot.
6.The villain fires a warning cannon shot, then digs up a heavy iron chest.
7.The villain studies the secret island map, then ties a double sailor knot.
8.The villain steers the ship through a storm, then sings a loud sea shanty.
9.The villain challenges the crew to a duel, then digs up a heavy iron chest.
10.The villain fires a warning cannon shot, then whispers to a green parrot.
11.The villain steers the ship through a storm, then digs up a heavy iron chest.
12.The villain fires a warning cannon shot, then ties a double sailor knot.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Golden Anchor
Culprit: Grace OMalley (Cannon Blasting · Parrot Training · Left Handed · Black Hair · Easily Distracted)
- Clue 1 (Fractions of a number): "THE PIRATE DOES NOT HAVE PLANK WALKING"4/6 of 63 = 42 (T) · 2/8 of 56 = 14 (A) · 2/3 of 51 = 34 (P) · 3/6 of 104 = 52 (R) · 5/10 of 52 = 26 (O) · 2/8 of 60 = 15 (L) · 1/3 of 177 = 59 (H) · 5/8 of 8 = 5 (K) · 1/4 of 24 = 6 (E) · 1/6 of 192 = 32 (W) · 3/10 of 90 = 27 (V) · 5/10 of 86 = 43 (G) · 6/8 of 32 = 24 (D) · 8/10 of 55 = 44 (S) · 4/5 of 35 = 28 (N) · 2/8 of 124 = 31 (I)
- Clue 2 (Word problems): "LEFT HANDED"Quartermaster Higgins lined up 4 rows of 10 hardtack biscuits. How many hardtack biscuits in all? = 40 (L) · Quartermaster Higgins found 19 coconuts yesterday and 7 more today. How many coconuts in all? = 26 (H) · Quartermaster Higgins lined up 11 rows of 10 spyglasses. How many spyglasses in all? = 110 (T) · Quartermaster Higgins lined up 2 rows of 7 hardtack biscuits. How many hardtack biscuits in all? = 14 (A) · There were 83 doubloons. 10 were used up. How many doubloons are left? = 73 (F) · Quartermaster Higgins lined up 9 rows of 7 spyglasses. How many spyglasses in all? = 63 (N) · There were 77 cannonballs. 34 were used up. How many cannonballs are left? = 43 (E)
- Clue 3 (Bar model word problems): "EASILY DISTRACTED"Quartermaster Higgins shares 188 hardtack biscuits equally among 2 teams. How many hardtack biscuits does each team get? = 94 (E) · One group collected 81 hardtack biscuits and another group collected 33 hardtack biscuits. How many hardtack biscuits in all? = 114 (Y) · Quartermaster Higgins has 145 doubloons, packed 5 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 29 (L) · There were 107 coconuts in all. 9 coconuts were used. How many coconuts are left? = 98 (A) · One group collected 41 doubloons and another group collected 69 doubloons. How many doubloons in all? = 110 (I) · Quartermaster Higgins has 216 hardtack biscuits, packed 3 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 72 (D) · The red team has 70 doubloons and the blue team has 8 doubloons. How many more doubloons does the red team have? = 62 (S)
- Clue 4 (Rounding): "THE THIEF HAS BLACK HAIR"Round 434 to the nearest ten = 430 (T) · Round 288 to the nearest ten = 290 (E) · Round 1,734 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (A) · Round 2,901 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (C) · Round 6,881 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (F) · Round 71 to the nearest ten = 70 (I) · Round 2,747 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (L) · Round 2,294 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (S) · Round 3,727 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (K) · Round 4,272 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (R) · Round 134 to the nearest ten = 130 (H) · Round 88 to the nearest ten = 90 (B)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 10) → Grace OMalley1/4 of 36 = 9 · 4/8 of 4 = 2 · 1/10 of 40 = 4 · 1/4 of 20 = 5 · 2/6 of 33 = 11 · 2/10 of 35 = 7 · 3/6 of 12 = 6 · 3/6 of 16 = 8 · 1/4 of 12 = 3 · 1/2 of 2 = 1 · 6/10 of 20 = 12
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 10 math
- Math topics
- Fractions of a number, Word problems, Bar models, Rounding
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Golden Anchor — set in Scurvy Cove
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects