🔎 PlantsGrade 5Reading: grades 3-4AdditionSubtractionMultiplicationFractions of a numberDivision
The Mystery of the Golden Orchid
A rare Golden Orchid has been snatched from the Great Greenhouse! A rogue plant-master is behind the heist. We must find them.
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 | Sprout Ability | Gardening Tool | Watering Hand | Bud Color | Allergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Darwin | vine whip | bronze rake | left handed watered | green ivy hair | dry air |
| Rowan Wood | vine whip | bronze rake | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| John Muir | root trap | silver shears | left handed watered | yellow fern hair | heavy shade |
| Jeanne Baret | pollen puff | silver shears | left handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| Jane Colden | berry blast | gold trowel | left handed watered | yellow fern hair | heavy shade |
| Fern Frond | berry blast | gold trowel | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | salty soil |
| Alexander von Humboldt | pollen puff | copper shovel | left handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| Professor Moss | vine whip | brass pitcher | left handed watered | green ivy hair | salty soil |
| Clover Fields | vine whip | silver shears | right handed watered | green ivy hair | heavy shade |
| Gregor Mendel | leaf shield | silver shears | left handed watered | red rose hair | salty soil |
| Luther Burbank | berry blast | bronze rake | left handed watered | yellow fern hair | salty soil |
| Dr Sprout | root trap | bronze rake | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| Carl Linnaeus | root trap | bronze rake | left handed watered | yellow fern hair | heavy shade |
| Basil Herb | root trap | copper shovel | right handed watered | green ivy hair | heavy shade |
| David Douglas | vine whip | silver shears | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| Oakley Bark | root trap | gold trowel | left handed watered | red rose hair | salty soil |
| Willow Reed | root trap | silver shears | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| Mary Agnes Chase | root trap | copper shovel | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | dry air |
| Rachel Carson | vine whip | brass pitcher | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | salty soil |
| Daisy Petal | berry blast | brass pitcher | right handed watered | green ivy hair | dry air |
| Ivy Green | leaf shield | silver shears | right handed watered | yellow fern hair | heavy shade |
Clue 1
Addition
Botanist Ben gathered all the dropped seed bags in the garden. By adding the bags from the path and the shed, we found 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
2150
5532
4865
T
2150
5532
4365
4865
5395
3704
9748
4865
6210
8774
9748
T
2150
9123
6210
4865
T
2150
5532
4865
9651
9748
9394
9394
4865
8904
6210
5532
9748
4496
4865
8276
1386 + 764 =T
5453 + 3941 =P
3707 + 5416 =U
4908 + 4840 =O
2124 + 2372 =V
4746 + 4028 =N
1741 + 1963 =D
2678 + 2717 =F
2565 + 2967 =H
2628 + 2237 =E
5268 + 4383 =C
1389 + 2976 =I
4226 + 1984 =S
3423 + 5481 =R
2854 + 5422 =L
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
We checked the greenhouse inventory. We subtracted the stolen flower pots from the total to see how many were left.
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
2427
5079
1960
T
2427
5079
6150
1960
1832
5079
1960
1227
3144
T
2427
5079
1960
7151
7889
2574
6150
2574
T
2427
5079
1960
6150
5276
5276
6150
3817
5079
T
2427
5079
7889
2574
3144
6411 - 3984 =T
8160 - 4343 =G
8803 - 2653 =I
3512 - 938 =N
3515 - 1683 =F
5277 - 3317 =E
7211 - 4067 =D
12845 - 4956 =A
8159 - 3080 =H
9969 - 4693 =R
8762 - 1611 =C
1289 - 62 =L
0/12 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The team counted the rows of rare tulips. By multiplying the rows by the number of flowers in each, we cracked a lock code.
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
5
63
110
T
5
63
6
110
90
54
77
132
50
108
16
77
T
5
72
T
5
22
16
108
T
5
63
110
108
96
10
22
6
96
1 × 5 =T
5 × 2 =Y
5 × 10 =L
2 × 11 =A
9 × 12 =D
9 × 10 =F
6 × 1 =I
11 × 12 =U
7 × 11 =O
4 × 4 =N
6 × 9 =C
6 × 12 =S
11 × 10 =E
12 × 8 =R
7 × 9 =H
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Fractions of a number
We found a map of the greenhouse. Only a small fraction of the total rooms had wet footprints, helping us narrow our 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
28
9
8
30
8
T
28
8
31
T
28
7
34
8
21
32
25
15
3
30
20
8
35
35
25
12
32
8
13
3
32
13
25
3
30
21
5/10 of 56 =T
1/3 of 102 =V
1/5 of 45 =H
3/6 of 60 =D
5/8 of 40 =O
8/10 of 40 =F
2/8 of 12 =N
2/3 of 12 =E
1/3 of 105 =L
1/4 of 84 =S
1/10 of 200 =Y
1/2 of 62 =C
3/4 of 20 =U
4/8 of 24 =W
2/10 of 35 =I
2/4 of 26 =R
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We divided the heavy bags of soil equally among the garden carts. This shared weight gave us the final number to open the vault.
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
40 ÷ 4 = ?
44 ÷ 4 = ?
90 ÷ 10 = ?
8 ÷ 4 = ?
49 ÷ 7 = ?
24 ÷ 4 = ?
40 ÷ 5 = ?
15 ÷ 3 = ?
32 ÷ 8 = ?
15 ÷ 5 = ?
24 ÷ 2 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain sprouted thick roots through the floor, then cleared a path through the brush with a bronze rake.
2.The villain sprouted thick roots through the floor, then scooped up the golden orchid with a copper shovel.
3.The villain fired a barrage of sticky red berries, then cleared a path through the brush with a bronze rake.
4.The villain shot a thick cloud of sleeping pollen, then dug up the prized soil with a gold trowel.
5.The villain sprouted thick roots through the floor, then dug up the prized soil with a gold trowel.
6.The villain blocked the guard with a giant leaf, then scooped up the golden orchid with a copper shovel.
7.The villain fired a barrage of sticky red berries, then dug up the prized soil with a gold trowel.
8.The villain blocked the guard with a giant leaf, then dug up the prized soil with a gold trowel.
9.The villain tangled the security cameras in vines, then clipped the greenhouse locks with silver shears.
10.The villain tangled the security cameras in vines, then cleared a path through the brush with a bronze rake.
11.The villain sprouted thick roots through the floor, then clipped the greenhouse locks with silver shears.
12.The villain shot a thick cloud of sleeping pollen, then scooped up the golden orchid with a copper shovel.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Golden Orchid
Culprit: Dr Sprout (root trap · bronze rake · right handed watered · yellow fern hair · dry air)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE THE COPPER SHOVEL"1386 + 764 = 2150 (T) · 5453 + 3941 = 9394 (P) · 3707 + 5416 = 9123 (U) · 4908 + 4840 = 9748 (O) · 2124 + 2372 = 4496 (V) · 4746 + 4028 = 8774 (N) · 1741 + 1963 = 3704 (D) · 2678 + 2717 = 5395 (F) · 2565 + 2967 = 5532 (H) · 2628 + 2237 = 4865 (E) · 5268 + 4383 = 9651 (C) · 1389 + 2976 = 4365 (I) · 4226 + 1984 = 6210 (S) · 3423 + 5481 = 8904 (R) · 2854 + 5422 = 8276 (L)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE THIEF HELD THE CAN IN THEIR RIGHT HAND"6411 - 3984 = 2427 (T) · 8160 - 4343 = 3817 (G) · 8803 - 2653 = 6150 (I) · 3512 - 938 = 2574 (N) · 3515 - 1683 = 1832 (F) · 5277 - 3317 = 1960 (E) · 7211 - 4067 = 3144 (D) · 12845 - 4956 = 7889 (A) · 8159 - 3080 = 5079 (H) · 9969 - 4693 = 5276 (R) · 8762 - 1611 = 7151 (C) · 1289 - 62 = 1227 (L)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE THIEF COULD NOT STAND THE DRY AIR"1 × 5 = 5 (T) · 5 × 2 = 10 (Y) · 5 × 10 = 50 (L) · 2 × 11 = 22 (A) · 9 × 12 = 108 (D) · 9 × 10 = 90 (F) · 6 × 1 = 6 (I) · 11 × 12 = 132 (U) · 7 × 11 = 77 (O) · 4 × 4 = 16 (N) · 6 × 9 = 54 (C) · 6 × 12 = 72 (S) · 11 × 10 = 110 (E) · 12 × 8 = 96 (R) · 7 × 9 = 63 (H)
- Clue 4 (Fractions of a number): "THE DETECTIVES FOUND YELLOW FERN FRONDS"5/10 of 56 = 28 (T) · 1/3 of 102 = 34 (V) · 1/5 of 45 = 9 (H) · 3/6 of 60 = 30 (D) · 5/8 of 40 = 25 (O) · 8/10 of 40 = 32 (F) · 2/8 of 12 = 3 (N) · 2/3 of 12 = 8 (E) · 1/3 of 105 = 35 (L) · 1/4 of 84 = 21 (S) · 1/10 of 200 = 20 (Y) · 1/2 of 62 = 31 (C) · 3/4 of 20 = 15 (U) · 4/8 of 24 = 12 (W) · 2/10 of 35 = 7 (I) · 2/4 of 26 = 13 (R)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 1) → Dr Sprout40 ÷ 4 = 10 · 44 ÷ 4 = 11 · 90 ÷ 10 = 9 · 8 ÷ 4 = 2 · 49 ÷ 7 = 7 · 24 ÷ 4 = 6 · 40 ÷ 5 = 8 · 15 ÷ 3 = 5 · 32 ÷ 8 = 4 · 15 ÷ 5 = 3 · 24 ÷ 2 = 12
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 Mystery of the Golden Orchid — set in The Great Greenhouse
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects