🔎 ReadingGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6AdditionSubtractionWord problemsSkip countingDivision
The Mystery of the Scrambled Manuscripts
A mysterious figure known as the Book Bandit has slipped into the Great Whispering Archives and scrambled the world's most valuable original manuscripts. It is up to the Page Turners to decode the clues, restore order, and catch the thief before the final chapter closes.
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 | literary superpower | enchanted reading gear | reading habit | hair accessory | story weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orwell | plot-twist bending | magical magnifying glass | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Twain | word-erasing mist | whispering book bag | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Snicket | word-erasing mist | infinite ink pen | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Rowling | giant book flight | whispering book bag | dog-ears page corners | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Shelley | speed-reading flash | glowing reading glasses | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | boring grammar lectures |
| Cleary | speed-reading flash | glowing reading glasses | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Alcott | word-erasing mist | whispering book bag | uses a silk tassel bookmark | silver quill headband | spelling bee tongue twisters |
| Watson | speed-reading flash | magical magnifying glass | dog-ears page corners | dusty library-scented curls | boring grammar lectures |
| Poe | character summoning | infinite ink pen | uses a silk tassel bookmark | blue ink-stained streaks | loud library shushing |
| Holmes | speed-reading flash | levitating bookmark | dog-ears page corners | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Carroll | giant book flight | glowing reading glasses | dog-ears page corners | silver quill headband | loud library shushing |
| White | speed-reading flash | levitating bookmark | uses a silk tassel bookmark | blue ink-stained streaks | boring grammar lectures |
| Verne | character summoning | magical magnifying glass | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | boring grammar lectures |
| Kipling | word-erasing mist | magical magnifying glass | uses a silk tassel bookmark | dusty library-scented curls | loud library shushing |
| Wells | plot-twist bending | glowing reading glasses | uses a silk tassel bookmark | silver quill headband | loud library shushing |
| Milne | plot-twist bending | levitating bookmark | uses a silk tassel bookmark | silver quill headband | loud library shushing |
| Tolkien | character summoning | levitating bookmark | uses a silk tassel bookmark | blue ink-stained streaks | boring grammar lectures |
| Montgomery | word-erasing mist | infinite ink pen | uses a silk tassel bookmark | blue ink-stained streaks | boring grammar lectures |
| Granger | character summoning | infinite ink pen | dog-ears page corners | silver quill headband | boring grammar lectures |
| Wilder | speed-reading flash | magical magnifying glass | uses a silk tassel bookmark | silver quill headband | loud library shushing |
| Lewis | word-erasing mist | infinite ink pen | uses a silk tassel bookmark | blue ink-stained streaks | loud library shushing |
Clue 1
Addition
You find a torn ledger on the floor. To find the total number of missing book chapters, you must add up the page counts listed in the margins.
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
5943
3076
3213
5634
6985
6763
9773
2198
T
5943
9773
3069
3213
9306
6763
3069
T
5943
6477
9306
3213
T
5943
3076
3213
2198
6763
9054
2198
6763
2198
T
5943
3213
2198
6763
3223
2738
3213
6763
2393 + 3550 =T
1220 + 1993 =E
1260 + 1963 =K
2973 + 3504 =U
1249 + 949 =I
4808 + 2177 =A
4195 + 5578 =D
1667 + 1071 =P
2844 + 6462 =S
2757 + 4006 =N
1242 + 1834 =H
3585 + 5469 =F
1019 + 2050 =O
1698 + 3936 =B
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
The library shelves are suddenly lighter. Subtract the damaged paperbacks from the total inventory to find how many rare scrolls were taken.
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
6957
2111
1784
3481
6543
7794
A
6957
2111
2111
7555
3481
7574
A
6957
2111
3481
7555
7273
7794
1407
7555
4365
1784
6835
4420
1784
6835
7794
4365
7555
6835
1812
6814
7555
3481
10226 - 3269 =A
2329 - 545 =I
10663 - 3828 =N
11495 - 4952 =K
11379 - 3805 =W
12224 - 4669 =E
8685 - 1871 =V
5005 - 2894 =S
9019 - 4599 =D
9180 - 1386 =T
3743 - 1931 =O
11068 - 3795 =F
6905 - 2540 =H
3257 - 1850 =B
6774 - 3293 =L
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Word problems
A riddle is tucked inside a dictionary. Solving this multi-step word problem about stacked encyclopedias reveals where the suspect fled.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Someonescaredthevillainoffwith .
L
44
34
58
19
L
44
18
95
16
A
16
Y
S
H
58
S
H
18
N
G
Head Librarian lined up 4 rows of 11 dictionary. How many dictionary in all?L
Head Librarian found 8 dictionary yesterday and 11 more today. How many dictionary in all?D
There were 38 quill. 22 were used up. How many quill are left?R
There were 50 novel. 16 were used up. How many novel are left?O
Head Librarian found 23 manuscript yesterday and 35 more today. How many manuscript in all?U
There were 127 bookmark. 32 were used up. How many bookmark are left?B
Head Librarian lined up 2 rows of 9 bookmark. How many bookmark in all?I
0/7 letters found
Clue 4
Skip counting
The villain escaped across numbered floor tiles. Skip count by sevens along the pathway to avoid stepping on the silent trap doors.
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
120
36
65
8
140
90
9
6
28
40
A
120
40
90
8
12
27
20
140
27
36
12
65
40
9
24
A
120
8
60
42
65
20
36
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, ___, 130, 140A
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, ___, 8, 10I
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, ___, 12, 15L
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, ___, 26, 28W
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, ___, 150, 160T
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, ___, 70, 75U
Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, ___, 65, 70F
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10, 12S
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, ___, 39, 42D
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, ___, 22, 24N
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, ___, 30, 33E
Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, ___, 45, 48O
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, ___, 30, 32B
Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ___, 14, 16C
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, ___, 50, 60R
Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110Y
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We must divide the remaining book marks equally among the young detectives to make sure every corner of the library is searched.
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
63 ÷ 7 = ?
35 ÷ 7 = ?
56 ÷ 7 = ?
9 ÷ 3 = ?
60 ÷ 6 = ?
60 ÷ 5 = ?
66 ÷ 6 = ?
7 ÷ 7 = ?
48 ÷ 8 = ?
35 ÷ 5 = ?
22 ÷ 11 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain sprayed word-erasing mist on the map, then floated away with a levitating bookmark.
2.The villain summoned a dragon character to block the door, then activated their glowing reading glasses.
3.The villain bent the plot twist to escape, then floated away with a levitating bookmark.
4.The villain used speed-reading flash to read the code, then activated their glowing reading glasses.
5.The villain bent the plot twist to escape, then scanned for traps with a magical magnifying glass.
6.The villain summoned a dragon character to block the door, then wrote a decoy note with an infinite ink pen.
7.The villain flew away on a giant open book, then wrote a decoy note with an infinite ink pen.
8.The villain sprayed word-erasing mist on the map, then stashed the loot in a whispering book bag.
9.The villain sprayed word-erasing mist on the map, then scanned for traps with a magical magnifying glass.
10.The villain summoned a dragon character to block the door, then scanned for traps with a magical magnifying glass.
11.The villain used speed-reading flash to read the code, then floated away with a levitating bookmark.
12.The villain flew away on a giant open book, then scanned for traps with a magical magnifying glass.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Scrambled Manuscripts
Culprit: Cleary (speed-reading flash · glowing reading glasses · uses a silk tassel bookmark · dusty library-scented curls · loud library shushing)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE BANDIT DOES NOT USE THE INFINITE INK PEN"2393 + 3550 = 5943 (T) · 1220 + 1993 = 3213 (E) · 1260 + 1963 = 3223 (K) · 2973 + 3504 = 6477 (U) · 1249 + 949 = 2198 (I) · 4808 + 2177 = 6985 (A) · 4195 + 5578 = 9773 (D) · 1667 + 1071 = 2738 (P) · 2844 + 6462 = 9306 (S) · 2757 + 4006 = 6763 (N) · 1242 + 1834 = 3076 (H) · 3585 + 5469 = 9054 (F) · 1019 + 2050 = 3069 (O) · 1698 + 3936 = 5634 (B)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "A SILK TASSEL WAS LEFT BEHIND IN THE NOVEL"10226 - 3269 = 6957 (A) · 2329 - 545 = 1784 (I) · 10663 - 3828 = 6835 (N) · 11495 - 4952 = 6543 (K) · 11379 - 3805 = 7574 (W) · 12224 - 4669 = 7555 (E) · 8685 - 1871 = 6814 (V) · 5005 - 2894 = 2111 (S) · 9019 - 4599 = 4420 (D) · 9180 - 1386 = 7794 (T) · 3743 - 1931 = 1812 (O) · 11068 - 3795 = 7273 (F) · 6905 - 2540 = 4365 (H) · 3257 - 1850 = 1407 (B) · 6774 - 3293 = 3481 (L)
- Clue 3 (Word problems): "LOUD LIBRARY SHUSHING"Head Librarian lined up 4 rows of 11 dictionary. How many dictionary in all? = 44 (L) · Head Librarian found 8 dictionary yesterday and 11 more today. How many dictionary in all? = 19 (D) · There were 38 quill. 22 were used up. How many quill are left? = 16 (R) · There were 50 novel. 16 were used up. How many novel are left? = 34 (O) · Head Librarian found 23 manuscript yesterday and 35 more today. How many manuscript in all? = 58 (U) · There were 127 bookmark. 32 were used up. How many bookmark are left? = 95 (B) · Head Librarian lined up 2 rows of 9 bookmark. How many bookmark in all? = 18 (I)
- Clue 4 (Skip counting): "A DUSTY LIBRARY SCENTED CURL WAS FOUND"Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, ___, 130, 140 = 120 (A) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, ___, 8, 10 = 6 (I) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, ___, 12, 15 = 9 (L) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, ___, 26, 28 = 24 (W) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, ___, 150, 160 = 140 (T) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, ___, 70, 75 = 65 (U) · Skip-count by 5s. Fill the blank: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, ___, 65, 70 = 60 (F) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, ___, 10, 12 = 8 (S) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, ___, 39, 42 = 36 (D) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, ___, 22, 24 = 20 (N) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, ___, 30, 33 = 27 (E) · Skip-count by 3s. Fill the blank: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, ___, 45, 48 = 42 (O) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, ___, 30, 32 = 28 (B) · Skip-count by 2s. Fill the blank: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ___, 14, 16 = 12 (C) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, ___, 50, 60 = 40 (R) · Skip-count by 10s. Fill the blank: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, ___, 100, 110 = 90 (Y)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Cleary63 ÷ 7 = 9 · 35 ÷ 7 = 5 · 56 ÷ 7 = 8 · 9 ÷ 3 = 3 · 60 ÷ 6 = 10 · 60 ÷ 5 = 12 · 66 ÷ 6 = 11 · 7 ÷ 7 = 1 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 35 ÷ 5 = 7 · 22 ÷ 11 = 2
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Word problems, Skip counting, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Scrambled Manuscripts — set in The Great Whispering Archives
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects