🔎 Lord of the ringsGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4RoundingAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
The Mystery of the Missing Shire Map
The legendary Golden Map of Middle-earth has vanished right from under the Party Tree! Mayor Flurbo needs your help. Look for clues, solve the math puzzles, and find out which traveler is the sneaky goblin in disguise before they escape to Mount Doom!
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 | Magic Ability | Travel Gear | Dominant Hand | Hair Evidence | Suspected Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosie Cotton | Super Jump | Mithril Vest | Left Handed | Long Silver Hair | Hates Water Splash |
| Arwen Evenstar | Light Flashing | Elven Cloak | Left Handed | Curly Brown Hair | Loves Lembas Bread |
| Gandalf Gray | Light Flashing | Mithril Vest | Right Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Eowyn Shield | Super Jump | Elven Cloak | Left Handed | Curly Brown Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Theoden Rohan | Stone Throwing | Mithril Vest | Right Handed | Long Silver Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Barliman Butter | Animal Speech | Elven Cloak | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Lotho Sackville | Light Flashing | Glowing Sword | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Elrond Halfelf | Super Jump | Mithril Vest | Right Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Loves Lembas Bread |
| Radagast Brown | Animal Speech | Rope of Lorien | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Faramir Ithilien | Light Flashing | Glowing Sword | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Hates Water Splash |
| Gimli Glowhelmet | Animal Speech | Elven Cloak | Left Handed | Curly Brown Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Legolas Greenleaf | Light Flashing | Wizard Staff | Right Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Saruman White | Animal Speech | Glowing Sword | Right Handed | Long Silver Hair | Loves Lembas Bread |
| Merry Brandybuck | Stone Throwing | Mithril Vest | Left Handed | Curly Brown Hair | Hates Water Splash |
| Aragorn Ranger | Stone Throwing | Wizard Staff | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Boromir Gondor | Stone Throwing | Glowing Sword | Left Handed | Long Silver Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Pippin Took | Stone Throwing | Mithril Vest | Right Handed | Long Silver Hair | Loves Lembas Bread |
| Frodo Underhill | Light Flashing | Glowing Sword | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Loves Lembas Bread |
| Galadriel Lorien | Animal Speech | Wizard Staff | Left Handed | Long Silver Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Thorin Oakshield | Animal Speech | Wizard Staff | Right Handed | Curly Brown Hair | Fears Bright Light |
| Lobelia Baggins | Stone Throwing | Mithril Vest | Left Handed | Braided Beard Hair | Fears Bright Light |
Clue 1
Rounding
We tracked the goblin's flight on a magic dwarven radar. The magic screen only shows numbers rounded 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
90
7000
2300
230
290
2300
2900
300
50
9000
200
20
5000
30
290
1300
200
2300
230
290
200
T
90
430
230
2300
2900
2000
200
900
2300
Round 93 to the nearest tenT
Round 2,169 to the nearest thousandR
Round 52 to the nearest tenY
Round 7,198 to the nearest thousandH
Round 2,883 to the nearest hundredA
Round 9,007 to the nearest thousandG
Round 5,432 to the nearest thousandL
Round 281 to the nearest hundredK
Round 432 to the nearest tenU
Round 226 to the nearest hundredO
Round 2,281 to the nearest hundredE
Round 290 to the nearest tenN
Round 1,347 to the nearest hundredD
Round 20 to the nearest tenB
Round 899 to the nearest hundredP
Round 30 to the nearest tenI
Round 232 to the nearest tenS
0/17 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
The hobbits gathered to count the stolen apple pies left on the road. Let us add up all the missing trays.
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
3819
8558
6835
8831
4770
6835
3812
7510
5931
T
3819
8558
3930
6835
8352
5440
5159
3930
T
3819
6835
8831
5440
3930
T
3819
8558
T
3819
8558
6835
3596
6835
8352
T
3819
8558
3812
4770
4845
1562 + 2257 =T
3260 + 5092 =F
5927 + 2631 =H
2461 + 1135 =L
2225 + 1587 =A
4653 + 2182 =E
3429 + 2502 =Y
5785 + 3046 =S
2584 + 2575 =R
2293 + 1637 =I
4830 + 2680 =K
2643 + 2797 =W
2253 + 2592 =D
2662 + 2108 =N
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
An elf noticed some silver arrows were missing from the armory. Subtract the remaining arrows from the starting pile.
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
2055
4194
2616
T
2055
4194
3760
2616
5564
2010
6619
3100
6619
8335
6619
5891
5564
2010
7106
1908
T
2055
4194
2616
2081
2010
3760
3433
4194
T
2055
4495
6619
3100
T
2055
2616
2010
3100
6188 - 4133 =T
8850 - 3286 =F
7331 - 3571 =I
7968 - 3473 =L
4304 - 1204 =N
8499 - 4305 =H
4015 - 582 =G
8443 - 108 =W
6223 - 332 =Y
3638 - 1730 =M
5930 - 3314 =E
11395 - 4289 =O
2788 - 707 =B
3090 - 1080 =R
11223 - 4604 =A
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We found rows of mysterious footprints in the muddy garden. Multiply the number of rows by the prints in each row.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
A
20
77
12
A
20
120
5
42
5
77
42
A
20
12
5
110
A
20
120
12
4
A
20
33
70
28
66
45
5
28
45
60
110
42
9
110
A
20
120
12
4 × 5 =A
3 × 4 =R
4 × 7 =O
6 × 7 =E
10 × 12 =I
9 × 1 =C
7 × 11 =B
1 × 5 =D
5 × 12 =T
10 × 7 =F
9 × 5 =N
11 × 10 =H
1 × 4 =W
3 × 11 =S
11 × 6 =U
0/15 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The rangers want to share their travel rations equally among the search teams. Divide the lembas bread loaves to find the share.
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
24 ÷ 6 = ?
88 ÷ 11 = ?
44 ÷ 4 = ?
50 ÷ 10 = ?
20 ÷ 2 = ?
90 ÷ 10 = ?
22 ÷ 11 = ?
30 ÷ 10 = ?
72 ÷ 6 = ?
12 ÷ 12 = ?
6 ÷ 1 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain whispered quietly to a helper bird, then swung across the stream on a rope.
2.The villain threw heavy river stones, then swung across the stream on a rope.
3.The villain blinded the guards with a bright flash, then blocked a slingshot with a mithril vest.
4.The villain threw heavy river stones, then cast a small sparks spell with a wizard staff.
5.The villain turned invisible with a magic ring, then swung across the stream on a rope.
6.The villain turned invisible with a magic ring, then blocked a slingshot with a mithril vest.
7.The villain whispered quietly to a helper bird, then wrapped up in an elven cloak.
8.The villain blinded the guards with a bright flash, then lit the dark trail with a glowing sword.
9.The villain blinded the guards with a bright flash, then cast a small sparks spell with a wizard staff.
10.The villain whispered quietly to a helper bird, then lit the dark trail with a glowing sword.
11.The villain threw heavy river stones, then blocked a slingshot with a mithril vest.
12.The villain jumped over the high Shire wall, then swung across the stream on a rope.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Missing Shire Map
Culprit: Barliman Butter (Animal Speech · Elven Cloak · Left Handed · Braided Beard Hair · Fears Bright Light)
- Clue 1 (Rounding): "THE SNEAKY GOBLIN DOES NOT USE A ROPE"Round 93 to the nearest ten = 90 (T) · Round 2,169 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (R) · Round 52 to the nearest ten = 50 (Y) · Round 7,198 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (H) · Round 2,883 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (A) · Round 9,007 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (G) · Round 5,432 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (L) · Round 281 to the nearest hundred = 300 (K) · Round 432 to the nearest ten = 430 (U) · Round 226 to the nearest hundred = 200 (O) · Round 2,281 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (E) · Round 290 to the nearest ten = 290 (N) · Round 1,347 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (D) · Round 20 to the nearest ten = 20 (B) · Round 899 to the nearest hundred = 900 (P) · Round 30 to the nearest ten = 30 (I) · Round 232 to the nearest ten = 230 (S)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "THE SNEAKY THIEF WRITES WITH THE LEFT HAND"1562 + 2257 = 3819 (T) · 3260 + 5092 = 8352 (F) · 5927 + 2631 = 8558 (H) · 2461 + 1135 = 3596 (L) · 2225 + 1587 = 3812 (A) · 4653 + 2182 = 6835 (E) · 3429 + 2502 = 5931 (Y) · 5785 + 3046 = 8831 (S) · 2584 + 2575 = 5159 (R) · 2293 + 1637 = 3930 (I) · 4830 + 2680 = 7510 (K) · 2643 + 2797 = 5440 (W) · 2253 + 2592 = 4845 (D) · 2662 + 2108 = 4770 (N)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE THIEF RAN AWAY FROM THE BRIGHT LANTERN"6188 - 4133 = 2055 (T) · 8850 - 3286 = 5564 (F) · 7331 - 3571 = 3760 (I) · 7968 - 3473 = 4495 (L) · 4304 - 1204 = 3100 (N) · 8499 - 4305 = 4194 (H) · 4015 - 582 = 3433 (G) · 8443 - 108 = 8335 (W) · 6223 - 332 = 5891 (Y) · 3638 - 1730 = 1908 (M) · 5930 - 3314 = 2616 (E) · 11395 - 4289 = 7106 (O) · 2788 - 707 = 2081 (B) · 3090 - 1080 = 2010 (R) · 11223 - 4604 = 6619 (A)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "A BRAIDED BEARD HAIR WAS FOUND ON THE CHAIR"4 × 5 = 20 (A) · 3 × 4 = 12 (R) · 4 × 7 = 28 (O) · 6 × 7 = 42 (E) · 10 × 12 = 120 (I) · 9 × 1 = 9 (C) · 7 × 11 = 77 (B) · 1 × 5 = 5 (D) · 5 × 12 = 60 (T) · 10 × 7 = 70 (F) · 9 × 5 = 45 (N) · 11 × 10 = 110 (H) · 1 × 4 = 4 (W) · 3 × 11 = 33 (S) · 11 × 6 = 66 (U)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 7) → Barliman Butter24 ÷ 6 = 4 · 88 ÷ 11 = 8 · 44 ÷ 4 = 11 · 50 ÷ 10 = 5 · 20 ÷ 2 = 10 · 90 ÷ 10 = 9 · 22 ÷ 11 = 2 · 30 ÷ 10 = 3 · 72 ÷ 6 = 12 · 12 ÷ 12 = 1 · 6 ÷ 1 = 6
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 4 math
- Math topics
- Rounding, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Missing Shire Map — set in The Green Dragon Inn in Hobbiton
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects