🔎 HolesGrade 3Reading: grades 1-2MultiplicationRoundingWord problemsAdditionDivision
The Sandy Flats Sandbox Mystery
Oh no! The Golden Shovel is gone from the big sandbox. Someone dug a deep secret tunnel and took it! We must find the sneaky kid who did this. Grab your buckets and let us look for clues!
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 | Digging Tool | Safety Gear | Digger Hand | Tunnel Hair | Tunnel Blocker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Collingwood | Metal spade | Safety goggles | Left-handed digger | Sandy hair | Sieve of sand |
| Goldie Digger | Metal spade | Safety goggles | Right-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Wooden board |
| Toby Tunnel | Hand claws | Knee pads | Left-handed digger | Sandy hair | Sieve of sand |
| Danny Dirt | Metal spade | Work gloves | Left-handed digger | Dusty brown hair | Wooden board |
| Penny Pocket | Garden trowel | Work gloves | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Gemma Finder | Garden trowel | Knee pads | Right-handed digger | Sandy hair | Wooden board |
| Rocky Stone | Hand claws | Safety goggles | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Water bucket |
| Rex Washburn | Plastic shovel | Mud boots | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Dusty Miller | Metal spade | Knee pads | Left-handed digger | Dusty brown hair | Sieve of sand |
| Theodore Johnson | Metal spade | Knee pads | Right-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Hector Zeroni | Hand claws | Yellow hardhat | Right-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Clay Pitman | Metal spade | Safety goggles | Right-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Molly Mole | Hand claws | Yellow hardhat | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Water bucket |
| Sammy Scoop | Toy excavator | Knee pads | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Sandy McSand | Toy excavator | Yellow hardhat | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Sally Shovel | Toy excavator | Mud boots | Right-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Water bucket |
| Billy Burrow | Hand claws | Yellow hardhat | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Sieve of sand |
| Wally Worm | Toy excavator | Work gloves | Left-handed digger | Sandy hair | Wooden board |
| Doug Deep | Hand claws | Knee pads | Right-handed digger | Sandy hair | Wooden board |
| Ricky Sellers | Toy excavator | Safety goggles | Left-handed digger | Muddy black hair | Wooden board |
| Stanley Yelnats | Garden trowel | Mud boots | Right-handed digger | Dusty brown hair | Wooden board |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We count the tool racks in the shed. There are three rows with five tools in each row. Let us multiply to find how many tools we have.
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
10
60
1
120
96
1
7
16
49
48
1
120
96
48
T
10
15
1
7
132
15
48
132
16
50
54
48
20
1
120
2 × 5 =T
10 × 12 =S
1 × 1 =E
6 × 10 =H
12 × 11 =R
7 × 7 =D
8 × 6 =O
10 × 2 =V
1 × 7 =A
10 × 5 =G
5 × 3 =W
12 × 8 =N
6 × 9 =L
2 × 8 =K
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The laser screen shows how deep the tunnel goes. It only shows a rough estimate. We must round the number 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
7000
4000
2000
70
30
60
T
7000
8000
30
900
2000
400
5000
40
900
2000
9000
T
7000
20
9000
T
7000
4000
2000
4000
20
900
2000
Round 6,933 to the nearest thousandT
Round 7,725 to the nearest thousandP
Round 4,456 to the nearest thousandH
Round 69 to the nearest tenD
Round 395 to the nearest hundredW
Round 9,114 to the nearest thousandF
Round 4,748 to the nearest thousandA
Round 2,076 to the nearest thousandE
Round 44 to the nearest tenS
Round 16 to the nearest tenO
Round 33 to the nearest tenI
Round 872 to the nearest hundredL
Round 61 to the nearest tenR
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Word problems
A friendly mole pops up to help us. He tells us a quick story about some lost coins to solve.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Someonescaredthevillainoffwith .
S
76
49
73
62
73
51
16
S
76
6
N
D
Sandy found 14 dirt clumps yesterday and 62 more today. How many dirt clumps in all?S
There were 72 plastic shovels. 21 were used up. How many plastic shovels are left?O
Sandy lined up 4 rows of 4 toy worms. How many toy worms in all?F
There were 89 toy worms. 27 were used up. How many toy worms are left?V
There were 68 shiny pebbles. 19 were used up. How many shiny pebbles are left?I
Sandy found 58 shiny pebbles yesterday and 15 more today. How many shiny pebbles in all?E
There were 16 toy worms. 10 were used up. How many toy worms are left?A
0/7 letters found
Clue 4
Addition
We find two piles of loose dirt. Let us add the scoops together to see how much mud was dug up.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
B
614
734
686
899
218
540
277
567
686
961
503
540
230
705
567
705
784
961
277
795
705
591
662
503
396 + 218 =B
440 + 246 =A
609 + 290 =C
294 + 667 =N
159 + 71 =W
160 + 343 =D
496 + 288 =I
232 + 359 =M
127 + 150 =T
284 + 511 =H
352 + 215 =R
193 + 347 =S
473 + 232 =E
334 + 400 =L
299 + 363 =U
150 + 68 =K
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
We have twelve warning flags for the holes. We must divide them evenly among the big pits.
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
5 ÷ 5 = ?
77 ÷ 11 = ?
56 ÷ 7 = ?
60 ÷ 5 = ?
3 ÷ 1 = ?
35 ÷ 7 = ?
24 ÷ 6 = ?
44 ÷ 4 = ?
8 ÷ 4 = ?
80 ÷ 8 = ?
36 ÷ 6 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain tunnels under the fence, then puts on a bright yellow hardhat.
2.The villain makes a giant crater, then straps on shiny black knee pads.
3.The villain makes a giant crater, then adjusts their plastic goggles.
4.The villain scrapes away the loose dirt, then pulls on some heavy work gloves.
5.The villain tunnels under the fence, then stomps around in muddy boots.
6.The villain scrapes away the loose dirt, then puts on a bright yellow hardhat.
7.The villain makes a giant crater, then puts on a bright yellow hardhat.
8.The villain tunnels under the fence, then straps on shiny black knee pads.
9.The villain digs a very deep hole, then stomps around in muddy boots.
10.The villain scrapes away the loose dirt, then adjusts their plastic goggles.
11.The villain digs a very deep hole, then puts on a bright yellow hardhat.
12.The villain scrapes away the loose dirt, then straps on shiny black knee pads.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Sandy Flats Sandbox Mystery
Culprit: Rex Washburn (Plastic shovel · Mud boots · Left-handed digger · Muddy black hair · Sieve of sand)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE SNEAK DOES NOT WEAR WORK GLOVES"2 × 5 = 10 (T) · 10 × 12 = 120 (S) · 1 × 1 = 1 (E) · 6 × 10 = 60 (H) · 12 × 11 = 132 (R) · 7 × 7 = 49 (D) · 8 × 6 = 48 (O) · 10 × 2 = 20 (V) · 1 × 7 = 7 (A) · 10 × 5 = 50 (G) · 5 × 3 = 15 (W) · 12 × 8 = 96 (N) · 6 × 9 = 54 (L) · 2 × 8 = 16 (K)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE DIRT PILE WAS LEFT OF THE HOLE"Round 6,933 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (T) · Round 7,725 to the nearest thousand = 8000 (P) · Round 4,456 to the nearest thousand = 4000 (H) · Round 69 to the nearest ten = 70 (D) · Round 395 to the nearest hundred = 400 (W) · Round 9,114 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (F) · Round 4,748 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (A) · Round 2,076 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (E) · Round 44 to the nearest ten = 40 (S) · Round 16 to the nearest ten = 20 (O) · Round 33 to the nearest ten = 30 (I) · Round 872 to the nearest hundred = 900 (L) · Round 61 to the nearest ten = 60 (R)
- Clue 3 (Word problems): "SIEVE OF SAND"Sandy found 14 dirt clumps yesterday and 62 more today. How many dirt clumps in all? = 76 (S) · There were 72 plastic shovels. 21 were used up. How many plastic shovels are left? = 51 (O) · Sandy lined up 4 rows of 4 toy worms. How many toy worms in all? = 16 (F) · There were 89 toy worms. 27 were used up. How many toy worms are left? = 62 (V) · There were 68 shiny pebbles. 19 were used up. How many shiny pebbles are left? = 49 (I) · Sandy found 58 shiny pebbles yesterday and 15 more today. How many shiny pebbles in all? = 73 (E) · There were 16 toy worms. 10 were used up. How many toy worms are left? = 6 (A)
- Clue 4 (Addition): "BLACK STRANDS WERE IN THE MUD"396 + 218 = 614 (B) · 440 + 246 = 686 (A) · 609 + 290 = 899 (C) · 294 + 667 = 961 (N) · 159 + 71 = 230 (W) · 160 + 343 = 503 (D) · 496 + 288 = 784 (I) · 232 + 359 = 591 (M) · 127 + 150 = 277 (T) · 284 + 511 = 795 (H) · 352 + 215 = 567 (R) · 193 + 347 = 540 (S) · 473 + 232 = 705 (E) · 334 + 400 = 734 (L) · 299 + 363 = 662 (U) · 150 + 68 = 218 (K)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 9) → Rex Washburn5 ÷ 5 = 1 · 77 ÷ 11 = 7 · 56 ÷ 7 = 8 · 60 ÷ 5 = 12 · 3 ÷ 1 = 3 · 35 ÷ 7 = 5 · 24 ÷ 6 = 4 · 44 ÷ 4 = 11 · 8 ÷ 4 = 2 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 36 ÷ 6 = 6
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Rounding, Word problems, Addition, Division
- Reading level
- grades 1-2
- Theme
- The Sandy Flats Sandbox Mystery — set in Sandy Flats Digging Park
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects