🏀 Basketball, ukuleles, minecrGrade 5Reading: grades 3-4Place valueRoundingMultiplicationAdditionDivision
The Mystery of the Mossy Hoop
The rare Emerald Tree Boa has lost its favorite blocky snake bed! Someone snuck into the arena, played a weird tune on a ukulele, shot a crazy trick hoop, and escaped into the digital jungle. We need your math skills to track down the thief before the big game!
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 | Trick Shot | Jungle Ability | Game Wristband | Hair Style | Secret Fear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Herp | Redstone Jump Shot | Double Dribbling | Wearing Wristband | Green Mohawk | Squeaky Shoes |
| Devin Dart | Creeper Block Building | Enderman Teleport | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Skyler Skink | Lizard Venom Spit | Enderman Teleport | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Out of Tune G String |
| Rex Raptor | Scale Camouflage | Toad Hop Jump | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Out of Tune G String |
| Caitlin Claw | Ukulele Strumming | Toad Hop Jump | Wearing Wristband | Purple Pixie | Out of Tune G String |
| Kobe Slam | Ukulele Strumming | Fire Resistance | No Wristband | Spikey Orange | Out of Tune G String |
| Drake Newt | Lizard Venom Spit | Toad Hop Jump | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Jordan Jam | Lizard Venom Spit | Enderman Teleport | No Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Herby Skink | Lizard Venom Spit | Four String Plucking | Wearing Wristband | Purple Pixie | Squeaky Shoes |
| Luka Geck | Redstone Jump Shot | Fire Resistance | Wearing Wristband | Purple Pixie | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Basil Boa | Ukulele Strumming | Toad Hop Jump | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Out of Tune G String |
| Spike Cobra | Ukulele Strumming | Double Dribbling | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Yoshi Ukes | Creeper Block Building | Enderman Teleport | No Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Paige Pad | Scale Camouflage | Fire Resistance | No Wristband | Purple Pixie | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Reggie Ring | Lizard Venom Spit | Fire Resistance | Wearing Wristband | Purple Pixie | Out of Tune G String |
| Giannis Gator | Scale Camouflage | Double Dribbling | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Bindi Python | Creeper Block Building | Fire Resistance | No Wristband | Spikey Orange | Squeaky Shoes |
| Kyrie Lizard | Lizard Venom Spit | Enderman Teleport | No Wristband | Spikey Orange | Out of Tune G String |
| Alex Craft | Lizard Venom Spit | Enderman Teleport | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
| Steph Scale | Redstone Jump Shot | Toad Hop Jump | Wearing Wristband | Purple Pixie | Out of Tune G String |
| Stampy Tail | Lizard Venom Spit | Four String Plucking | Wearing Wristband | Spikey Orange | Fear of Water Blocks |
Clue 1
Place value
We found a glowing keypad on the court. To open it, we must find the value of the digit in the tens place on this broken screen.
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
800
1000
100
3000
10
3000
600
100
8000
T
800
5000
900
100
3000
7000
900
T
800
5000
900
10
4000
80
100
5000
70
30
4000
4000
80
100
What is the value of the 8 in 300,815?T
What is the value of the 7 in 34,678?R
What is the value of the 8 in 599,280?L
What is the value of the 3 in 643,105?S
What is the value of the 1 in 948,155?E
What is the value of the 7 in 397,984?N
What is the value of the 1 in 41,778?H
What is the value of the 1 in 505,212?U
What is the value of the 5 in 75,466?D
What is the value of the 8 in 38,715?C
What is the value of the 3 in 47,238?I
What is the value of the 6 in 751,633?P
What is the value of the 9 in 301,958?O
What is the value of the 4 in 154,893?B
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The guard saw a pile of green blocks blocking the exit. The guard could only estimate and round the total to the nearest ten to clear the path.
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
290
170
130
9000
1300
3000
370
170
3000
A
290
1300
5000
A
290
1100
300
170
A
290
370
300
7000
1700
700
700
3000
300
1100
3000
A
290
7000
1300
130
3000
130
1700
1700
700
Round 287 to the nearest tenA
Round 691 to the nearest hundredP
Round 295 to the nearest hundredD
Round 3,354 to the nearest thousandE
Round 1,071 to the nearest hundredN
Round 6,719 to the nearest thousandR
Round 5,294 to the nearest thousandB
Round 126 to the nearest tenH
Round 1,253 to the nearest hundredT
Round 9,376 to the nearest thousandI
Round 1,698 to the nearest hundredO
Round 168 to the nearest tenW
Round 366 to the nearest tenS
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We found racks of basketballs arranged in equal rows. Let us multiply the rows by the columns to see how many balls are missing.
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
80
45
35
63
7
77
77
33
7
99
40
33
99
33
60
33
42
6
40
64
81
T
80
45
35
60
33
T
80
35
40
120
54
32
20
35
T
80
10 × 8 =T
7 × 1 =I
11 × 3 =A
10 × 12 =B
5 × 7 =E
9 × 9 =M
5 × 4 =K
7 × 6 =Y
9 × 11 =N
8 × 8 =O
5 × 9 =H
4 × 8 =C
11 × 7 =L
5 × 8 =R
1 × 6 =F
6 × 9 =U
9 × 7 =V
12 × 5 =W
0/18 letters found
Clue 4
Addition
The referee found several lists of lizard food. Add up all the crickets on the lists to find the grand total.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
3314
6384
8867
9700
5118
4024
3925
5118
8602
S
3314
9674
5856
5718
5573
8970
9624
S
3314
4107
5777
5118
4107
4024
5856
6243
5573
5118
8970
5856
8867
4024
S
3314
6384
8867
5042
5118
S
3314
2168 + 1146 =S
2545 + 3311 =A
1818 + 2107 =W
1445 + 2662 =O
2792 + 3592 =P
3561 + 2216 =M
5572 + 4102 =C
6137 + 2730 =I
3467 + 6157 =T
2707 + 1317 =R
3125 + 2593 =U
3283 + 5319 =B
4550 + 4420 =H
1921 + 3121 =K
3447 + 1671 =E
4201 + 5499 =D
3621 + 1952 =G
3174 + 3069 =N
0/18 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We found a box of ukulele strings. If we divide them equally among the team members, we can find out who took the extra strings.
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
48 ÷ 6 = ?
33 ÷ 11 = ?
110 ÷ 10 = ?
14 ÷ 2 = ?
24 ÷ 4 = ?
50 ÷ 5 = ?
144 ÷ 12 = ?
45 ÷ 9 = ?
36 ÷ 9 = ?
20 ÷ 10 = ?
27 ÷ 3 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain builds a wall of mossy bricks, then teleports behind the basket.
2.The villain builds a wall of mossy bricks, then leaps high like a giant toad.
3.The villain shoots slimy green lizard spit, then strums four nylon strings quickly.
4.The villain uses sneaky scale camouflage, then bounces two game balls at once.
5.The villain uses sneaky scale camouflage, then leaps high like a giant toad.
6.The villain makes a blocky redstone jump shot, then strums four nylon strings quickly.
7.The villain builds a wall of mossy bricks, then walks right through a lava trap.
8.The villain shoots slimy green lizard spit, then teleports behind the basket.
9.The villain shoots slimy green lizard spit, then bounces two game balls at once.
10.The villain makes a blocky redstone jump shot, then bounces two game balls at once.
11.The villain shoots slimy green lizard spit, then leaps high like a giant toad.
12.The villain uses sneaky scale camouflage, then strums four nylon strings quickly.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Mossy Hoop
Culprit: Devin Dart (Creeper Block Building · Enderman Teleport · Wearing Wristband · Spikey Orange · Fear of Water Blocks)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE SUSPECT DOES NOT DOUBLE DRIBBLE"What is the value of the 8 in 300,815? = 800 (T) · What is the value of the 7 in 34,678? = 70 (R) · What is the value of the 8 in 599,280? = 80 (L) · What is the value of the 3 in 643,105? = 3000 (S) · What is the value of the 1 in 948,155? = 100 (E) · What is the value of the 7 in 397,984? = 7000 (N) · What is the value of the 1 in 41,778? = 1000 (H) · What is the value of the 1 in 505,212? = 10 (U) · What is the value of the 5 in 75,466? = 5000 (D) · What is the value of the 8 in 38,715? = 8000 (C) · What is the value of the 3 in 47,238? = 30 (I) · What is the value of the 6 in 751,633? = 600 (P) · What is the value of the 9 in 301,958? = 900 (O) · What is the value of the 4 in 154,893? = 4000 (B)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "A WHITE SWEATBAND WAS DROPPED NEAR THE HOOP"Round 287 to the nearest ten = 290 (A) · Round 691 to the nearest hundred = 700 (P) · Round 295 to the nearest hundred = 300 (D) · Round 3,354 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (E) · Round 1,071 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (N) · Round 6,719 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (R) · Round 5,294 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (B) · Round 126 to the nearest ten = 130 (H) · Round 1,253 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (T) · Round 9,376 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (I) · Round 1,698 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (O) · Round 168 to the nearest ten = 170 (W) · Round 366 to the nearest ten = 370 (S)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN RAN AWAY FROM THE WATER BUCKET"10 × 8 = 80 (T) · 7 × 1 = 7 (I) · 11 × 3 = 33 (A) · 10 × 12 = 120 (B) · 5 × 7 = 35 (E) · 9 × 9 = 81 (M) · 5 × 4 = 20 (K) · 7 × 6 = 42 (Y) · 9 × 11 = 99 (N) · 8 × 8 = 64 (O) · 5 × 9 = 45 (H) · 4 × 8 = 32 (C) · 11 × 7 = 77 (L) · 5 × 8 = 40 (R) · 1 × 6 = 6 (F) · 6 × 9 = 54 (U) · 9 × 7 = 63 (V) · 12 × 5 = 60 (W)
- Clue 4 (Addition): "SPIDERWEBS CAUGHT SOME ORANGE HAIR SPIKES"2168 + 1146 = 3314 (S) · 2545 + 3311 = 5856 (A) · 1818 + 2107 = 3925 (W) · 1445 + 2662 = 4107 (O) · 2792 + 3592 = 6384 (P) · 3561 + 2216 = 5777 (M) · 5572 + 4102 = 9674 (C) · 6137 + 2730 = 8867 (I) · 3467 + 6157 = 9624 (T) · 2707 + 1317 = 4024 (R) · 3125 + 2593 = 5718 (U) · 3283 + 5319 = 8602 (B) · 4550 + 4420 = 8970 (H) · 1921 + 3121 = 5042 (K) · 3447 + 1671 = 5118 (E) · 4201 + 5499 = 9700 (D) · 3621 + 1952 = 5573 (G) · 3174 + 3069 = 6243 (N)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 1) → Devin Dart48 ÷ 6 = 8 · 33 ÷ 11 = 3 · 110 ÷ 10 = 11 · 14 ÷ 2 = 7 · 24 ÷ 4 = 6 · 50 ÷ 5 = 10 · 144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 45 ÷ 9 = 5 · 36 ÷ 9 = 4 · 20 ÷ 10 = 2 · 27 ÷ 3 = 9
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Rounding, Multiplication, Addition, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Mossy Hoop — set in The Blocky Reptile Arena
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects