🔎 ReadingGrade 4Reading: grades 5-6RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
The Mystery of the Missing Endings
Someone is sneaking into the Great Whispering Library and stealing the final chapters of the kingdom's rarest books! Head Librarian Paige needs your help to catch the Scribble Bandit before our favorite stories are ruined forever.
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 | Favorite Genre | Literary Tool | Reading Habits | Bookmark Tassel Hair | Distraction Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Austen | Sci-Fi Portal Magic | Everlasting Inkwell | Right Handed Page Turner | Braided Gold Thread Hair | Shouted Book Spoilers |
| Jules Verne | Historical Time Travel | Golden Bookmark | Right Handed Page Turner | Neon Blue Yarn Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Agatha Christie | Poetic Rhyme Binding | Silver Reading Light | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Virginia Woolf | Historical Time Travel | Golden Bookmark | Left Handed Page Turner | Braided Gold Thread Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Louisa Alcott | Mystery Clue Tracking | Silver Reading Light | Left Handed Page Turner | Neon Blue Yarn Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Lewis Carroll | Sci-Fi Portal Magic | Golden Bookmark | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Edgar Allan Poe | Mystery Clue Tracking | Magnifying Glass | Right Handed Page Turner | Braided Gold Thread Hair | Shouted Book Spoilers |
| Leo Tolstoy | Fantasy Spell Casting | Quill of Truth | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Arthur Conan Doyle | Poetic Rhyme Binding | Quill of Truth | Right Handed Page Turner | Neon Blue Yarn Hair | Shouted Book Spoilers |
| C S Lewis | Mystery Clue Tracking | Quill of Truth | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Hans Andersen | Poetic Rhyme Binding | Golden Bookmark | Right Handed Page Turner | Neon Blue Yarn Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| L Frank Baum | Poetic Rhyme Binding | Everlasting Inkwell | Left Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Spilled Hot Cocoa |
| H G Wells | Poetic Rhyme Binding | Golden Bookmark | Right Handed Page Turner | Braided Gold Thread Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Rudyard Kipling | Historical Time Travel | Quill of Truth | Left Handed Page Turner | Braided Gold Thread Hair | Spilled Hot Cocoa |
| Roald Dahl | Sci-Fi Portal Magic | Silver Reading Light | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Spilled Hot Cocoa |
| Jack London | Fantasy Spell Casting | Magnifying Glass | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Shouted Book Spoilers |
| Beatrix Potter | Fantasy Spell Casting | Everlasting Inkwell | Right Handed Page Turner | Braided Gold Thread Hair | Shouted Book Spoilers |
| Mary Shelley | Sci-Fi Portal Magic | Golden Bookmark | Left Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Spilled Hot Cocoa |
| Bram Stoker | Poetic Rhyme Binding | Quill of Truth | Right Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Robert Frost | Fantasy Spell Casting | Magnifying Glass | Left Handed Page Turner | Silk Red Tassel Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
| Astrid Lindgren | Fantasy Spell Casting | Magnifying Glass | Right Handed Page Turner | Neon Blue Yarn Hair | Loud Library Sneezes |
Clue 1
Rounding
The library's magical inventory scanners only show book page counts rounded to the nearest ten. The detective estimates these page counts to unlock the first clue vault.
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
170
900
1100
3000
9000
300
700
290
T
170
700
200
1100
5000
300
200
T
170
2900
5000
1100
9000
5000
290
2000
500
1100
30
30
1100
9000
700
290
300
130
2000
290
130
900
T
170
Round 170 to the nearest tenT
Round 159 to the nearest hundredO
Round 661 to the nearest hundredD
Round 2,874 to the nearest hundredU
Round 1,148 to the nearest hundredE
Round 2,802 to the nearest thousandB
Round 28 to the nearest tenR
Round 944 to the nearest hundredH
Round 1,988 to the nearest thousandL
Round 8,657 to the nearest thousandA
Round 133 to the nearest tenG
Round 265 to the nearest hundredN
Round 474 to the nearest hundredV
Round 4,728 to the nearest thousandS
Round 289 to the nearest tenI
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
The assistant librarian tallies up the stacks of damaged books recovered from the reading tables. Adding these stack counts together reveals the secret code for the next 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
2495
4348
8959
7973
4073
7973
2146
8959
7925
T
2495
T
2495
4073
6384
9377
8959
9640
2146
9791
8494
8959
7973
4959
9174
T
2495
4348
T
2495
4348
8959
9174
6384
6384
9174
8494
4348
T
2495
4348
9791
9377
9640
1718 + 777 =T
5532 + 2393 =C
3064 + 1895 =W
5634 + 3325 =E
2164 + 1909 =U
2879 + 6498 =N
6716 + 2924 =D
3896 + 2488 =R
5974 + 3817 =A
1251 + 895 =P
2919 + 5054 =S
4984 + 4190 =I
4811 + 3683 =G
1473 + 2875 =H
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
To find where the suspect fled, we must subtract the current count of poetry pamphlets from yesterday's starting total. The missing amount points us in the right direction.
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
6668
6861
3528
T
6668
6861
4059
3528
8228
3259
1569
8623
8623
T
6668
1273
2857
2857
3528
3752
8265
3882
5619
1273
1020
3752
5619
4059
8265
7233
1569
7233
3882
8623
6787
3528
3528
5636
3528
8623
10886 - 4218 =T
7280 - 3221 =I
5142 - 1260 =Y
5874 - 238 =Z
9400 - 777 =S
1298 - 278 =U
5416 - 1888 =E
8773 - 1912 =H
8321 - 93 =F
10863 - 2598 =B
5202 - 1943 =W
8799 - 1566 =R
5215 - 2358 =P
8365 - 2746 =L
2830 - 1557 =O
8578 - 1791 =N
6474 - 2722 =D
3148 - 1579 =A
0/18 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The rare books are arranged in equal rows across the wooden shelves. Multiplying the shelves by the books on each shelf calculates the weight on the hidden floor trigger.
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
33
35
64
42
120
96
14
81
121
20
66
8
35
14
5
60
81
81
35
20
32
60
121
8
60
5
5
32
35
81
27
35
96
35
11 × 3 =W
8 × 8 =F
3 × 9 =C
12 × 8 =N
7 × 6 =O
4 × 8 =H
1 × 5 =T
7 × 2 =D
10 × 12 =U
11 × 11 =I
11 × 6 =K
8 × 1 =R
5 × 4 =L
5 × 7 =E
10 × 6 =A
9 × 9 =S
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We need to divide a box of protective bookmarks equally among the student helpers. Finding how many bookmarks are left over helps us narrow down the final suspect list.
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
18 ÷ 6 = ?
60 ÷ 10 = ?
18 ÷ 2 = ?
40 ÷ 10 = ?
70 ÷ 10 = ?
36 ÷ 3 = ?
12 ÷ 12 = ?
64 ÷ 8 = ?
55 ÷ 11 = ?
66 ÷ 6 = ?
20 ÷ 2 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain slipped into a portal to the Victorian era, then shined a silver reading light on the safe.
2.The villain cast a sleeping spell over the room, then rewrote the chapter using a quill of truth.
3.The villain searched the detective section for clues, then rewrote the chapter using a quill of truth.
4.The villain activated a neon portal to escape, then splashed everlasting inkwell fluid on the wall.
5.The villain trapped the guard in a cage of rhymes, then marked the scene with a golden bookmark.
6.The villain trapped the guard in a cage of rhymes, then rewrote the chapter using a quill of truth.
7.The villain slipped into a portal to the Victorian era, then marked the scene with a golden bookmark.
8.The villain activated a neon portal to escape, then inspected the dusty pages with a magnifying glass.
9.The villain activated a neon portal to escape, then marked the scene with a golden bookmark.
10.The villain cast a sleeping spell over the room, then inspected the dusty pages with a magnifying glass.
11.The villain slipped into a portal to the Victorian era, then splashed everlasting inkwell fluid on the wall.
12.The villain searched the detective section for clues, then splashed everlasting inkwell fluid on the wall.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Missing Endings
Culprit: Leo Tolstoy (Fantasy Spell Casting · Quill of Truth · Right Handed Page Turner · Silk Red Tassel Hair · Loud Library Sneezes)
- Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE A SILVER READING LIGHT"Round 170 to the nearest ten = 170 (T) · Round 159 to the nearest hundred = 200 (O) · Round 661 to the nearest hundred = 700 (D) · Round 2,874 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (U) · Round 1,148 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (E) · Round 2,802 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (B) · Round 28 to the nearest ten = 30 (R) · Round 944 to the nearest hundred = 900 (H) · Round 1,988 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (L) · Round 8,657 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (A) · Round 133 to the nearest ten = 130 (G) · Round 265 to the nearest hundred = 300 (N) · Round 474 to the nearest hundred = 500 (V) · Round 4,728 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (S) · Round 289 to the nearest ten = 290 (I)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "THE SUSPECT TURNED PAGES WITH THEIR RIGHT HAND"1718 + 777 = 2495 (T) · 5532 + 2393 = 7925 (C) · 3064 + 1895 = 4959 (W) · 5634 + 3325 = 8959 (E) · 2164 + 1909 = 4073 (U) · 2879 + 6498 = 9377 (N) · 6716 + 2924 = 9640 (D) · 3896 + 2488 = 6384 (R) · 5974 + 3817 = 9791 (A) · 1251 + 895 = 2146 (P) · 2919 + 5054 = 7973 (S) · 4984 + 4190 = 9174 (I) · 4811 + 3683 = 8494 (G) · 1473 + 2875 = 4348 (H)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE THIEF WAS STOPPED BY LOUD LIBRARY SNEEZES"10886 - 4218 = 6668 (T) · 7280 - 3221 = 4059 (I) · 5142 - 1260 = 3882 (Y) · 5874 - 238 = 5636 (Z) · 9400 - 777 = 8623 (S) · 1298 - 278 = 1020 (U) · 5416 - 1888 = 3528 (E) · 8773 - 1912 = 6861 (H) · 8321 - 93 = 8228 (F) · 10863 - 2598 = 8265 (B) · 5202 - 1943 = 3259 (W) · 8799 - 1566 = 7233 (R) · 5215 - 2358 = 2857 (P) · 8365 - 2746 = 5619 (L) · 2830 - 1557 = 1273 (O) · 8578 - 1791 = 6787 (N) · 6474 - 2722 = 3752 (D) · 3148 - 1579 = 1569 (A)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WE FOUND SILK RED TASSEL HAIR AT THE SCENE"11 × 3 = 33 (W) · 8 × 8 = 64 (F) · 3 × 9 = 27 (C) · 12 × 8 = 96 (N) · 7 × 6 = 42 (O) · 4 × 8 = 32 (H) · 1 × 5 = 5 (T) · 7 × 2 = 14 (D) · 10 × 12 = 120 (U) · 11 × 11 = 121 (I) · 11 × 6 = 66 (K) · 8 × 1 = 8 (R) · 5 × 4 = 20 (L) · 5 × 7 = 35 (E) · 10 × 6 = 60 (A) · 9 × 9 = 81 (S)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 2) → Leo Tolstoy18 ÷ 6 = 3 · 60 ÷ 10 = 6 · 18 ÷ 2 = 9 · 40 ÷ 10 = 4 · 70 ÷ 10 = 7 · 36 ÷ 3 = 12 · 12 ÷ 12 = 1 · 64 ÷ 8 = 8 · 55 ÷ 11 = 5 · 66 ÷ 6 = 11 · 20 ÷ 2 = 10
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 4 math
- Math topics
- Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Missing Endings — set in The Great Whispering Library
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects