Grade 9Reading: grades 7-9Two-step equationsExponentsSquare rootsIntegers

The Whispering Canopy Heist

A priceless gold artifact has vanished from the temple ruins! The culprit left a trail of clues deep in the jungle. Our team of expert trackers must solve the mystery before the thief escapes the canopy.

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	Escape Gear	Specialist Tool	Dominant Hand	Clue at Scene	Suspect Phobia
Charles Darwin	heavy machete	decoder ring	left handed grip	golden temple dust	bright flashlights
Jacques Cousteau	climbing spikes	night visor	right handed grip	cobweb strands	shiny gold coins
Nellie Bly	heavy machete	radio jammer	left handed grip	golden temple dust	bright flashlights
Lewis Clark	grappling hook	night visor	left handed grip	golden temple dust	bright flashlights
Gertrude Bell	glider wings	night visor	left handed grip	cobweb strands	shiny gold coins
Roy Andrews	grappling hook	decoder ring	left handed grip	cobweb strands	loud snake hisses
Sally Ride	climbing spikes	thermal cloak	left handed grip	golden temple dust	bright flashlights
Jane Goodall	glider wings	thermal cloak	left handed grip	cobweb strands	shiny gold coins
Ernest Shackleton	climbing spikes	night visor	right handed grip	golden temple dust	bright flashlights
Laura Dekker	plasma torch	sonic compass	left handed grip	cobweb strands	loud snake hisses
Daniel Boone	climbing spikes	night visor	left handed grip	golden temple dust	shiny gold coins
Robert Peary	climbing spikes	night visor	right handed grip	green fern leaves	shiny gold coins
Mary Anning	plasma torch	radio jammer	left handed grip	green fern leaves	shiny gold coins
Ada Lovelace	climbing spikes	night visor	left handed grip	golden temple dust	loud snake hisses
Percy Fawcett	grappling hook	sonic compass	left handed grip	green fern leaves	loud snake hisses
Hiram Bingham	grappling hook	radio jammer	left handed grip	cobweb strands	loud snake hisses
Steve Irwin	grappling hook	decoder ring	right handed grip	cobweb strands	loud snake hisses
Sacagawea	glider wings	thermal cloak	left handed grip	cobweb strands	loud snake hisses
Marco Polo	climbing spikes	sonic compass	left handed grip	cobweb strands	loud snake hisses
Amelia Earhart	grappling hook	decoder ring	right handed grip	green fern leaves	loud snake hisses
Matthew Henson	climbing spikes	sonic compass	left handed grip	golden temple dust	bright flashlights

Clue 1

Two-step equations

We found a locked decoder box left by the thief. To crack the lock code, we have to solve a puzzle where twice the code value plus five equals twenty-one.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

5x + 12 = 72, x =T

2x + 12 = 30, x =G

5x + 9 = 59, x =J

2x + 11 = 45, x =N

7x + 6 = 118, x =S

3x + 8 = 41, x =R

4x + 5 = 93, x =M

6x + 4 = 52, x =E

2x + 11 = 23, x =A

7x + 6 = 27, x =U

9x + 5 = 194, x =D

2x + 2 = 10, x =I

6x + 8 = 86, x =H

4x + 11 = 39, x =O

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Exponents

The thief's drone path multiplied its speed by powers of two every minute. Calculating the final exponent level will help us pinpoint where the drone dropped its cargo.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

100

121

729

121

243

100

144

125

343

196

100

121

125

196

361

441

100

256

361

100

343

196

243

6^2 =T

21^2 =L

10^2 =E

3^6 =U

2^2 =D

9^2 =H

16^2 =F

19^2 =A

14^2 =I

5^3 =W

3^5 =P

11^2 =S

5^2 =N

2^5 =G

12^2 =C

7^3 =R

0/16 letters found

Clue 3

Square roots

We found a grid of ancient stone tiles blocking the path. The safe route is marked by tiles whose numbers are perfect square roots of the room's key code.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

sqrt(121) =T

sqrt(64) =U

sqrt(225) =F

sqrt(169) =L

sqrt(36) =D

sqrt(256) =M

sqrt(196) =E

sqrt(289) =C

sqrt(529) =R

sqrt(484) =K

sqrt(9) =O

sqrt(144) =I

sqrt(441) =S

sqrt(576) =N

sqrt(25) =H

sqrt(81) =A

0/16 letters found

Clue 4

Integers

To track the suspect's altitude changes inside the cavern, we must combine the positive climbs and the negative drops on the elevation tracker.

Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.

(-8) + 33 =W

(-11) + 13 =S

(-2) + 9 =E

(-11) + 28 =L

12 - (-10) =H

(-5) + 44 =C

30 - (-10) =T

(-9) + 46 =D

(-3) + 35 =R

(-7) + 19 =F

9 - (-9) =B

(-14) + 25 =N

(-14) + 49 =O

(-8) + 22 =A

(-8) + 24 =U

0/15 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

A tripwire trap is counting down. To safely disarm it, we need to balance the dial where three times our frequency minus twelve equals sixty.

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

2x + 9 = 19, x = ?

9x + 12 = 111, x = ?

7x + 7 = 49, x = ?

2x + 1 = 21, x = ?

6x + 11 = 65, x = ?

8x + 8 = 32, x = ?

5x + 5 = 25, x = ?

7x + 4 = 60, x = ?

7x + 6 = 13, x = ?

5x + 7 = 17, x = ?

8x + 3 = 59, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain scales the steep stone wall with climbing spikes, then vanishes into the shadows under a thermal cloak.

2.The villain soars from the canopy on glider wings, then tracks the hidden coordinates using a sonic compass.

3.The villain soars from the canopy on glider wings, then disrupts our rescue team with a radio jammer.

4.The villain scales the steep stone wall with climbing spikes, then navigates the dark corridors with a night visor.

5.The villain swings across the canyon with a grappling hook, then solves the ancient door lock with a decoder ring.

6.The villain scales the steep stone wall with climbing spikes, then tracks the hidden coordinates using a sonic compass.

7.The villain soars from the canopy on glider wings, then navigates the dark corridors with a night visor.

8.The villain cuts through the iron door with a plasma torch, then solves the ancient door lock with a decoder ring.

9.The villain swings across the canyon with a grappling hook, then tracks the hidden coordinates using a sonic compass.

10.The villain cuts through the iron door with a plasma torch, then disrupts our rescue team with a radio jammer.

11.The villain soars from the canopy on glider wings, then vanishes into the shadows under a thermal cloak.

12.The villain cuts through the iron door with a plasma torch, then tracks the hidden coordinates using a sonic compass.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Whispering Canopy Heist

Culprit: Laura Dekker (plasma torch · sonic compass · left handed grip · cobweb strands · loud snake hisses)

Clue 1 (Two-step equations): "THE TARGET DOES NOT USE A RADIO JAMMER"
5x + 12 = 72, x = 12 (T) · 2x + 12 = 30, x = 9 (G) · 5x + 9 = 59, x = 10 (J) · 2x + 11 = 45, x = 17 (N) · 7x + 6 = 118, x = 16 (S) · 3x + 8 = 41, x = 11 (R) · 4x + 5 = 93, x = 22 (M) · 6x + 4 = 52, x = 8 (E) · 2x + 11 = 23, x = 6 (A) · 7x + 6 = 27, x = 3 (U) · 9x + 5 = 194, x = 21 (D) · 2x + 2 = 10, x = 4 (I) · 6x + 8 = 86, x = 13 (H) · 4x + 11 = 39, x = 7 (O)
Clue 2 (Exponents): "THE SUSPECT WRITES WITH A LEFT HANDED GRIP"
6^2 = 36 (T) · 21^2 = 441 (L) · 10^2 = 100 (E) · 3^6 = 729 (U) · 2^2 = 4 (D) · 9^2 = 81 (H) · 16^2 = 256 (F) · 19^2 = 361 (A) · 14^2 = 196 (I) · 5^3 = 125 (W) · 3^5 = 243 (P) · 11^2 = 121 (S) · 5^2 = 25 (N) · 2^5 = 32 (G) · 12^2 = 144 (C) · 7^3 = 343 (R)
Clue 3 (Square roots): "THE CROOK RUNS FROM LOUD SNAKE HISSES"
sqrt(121) = 11 (T) · sqrt(64) = 8 (U) · sqrt(225) = 15 (F) · sqrt(169) = 13 (L) · sqrt(36) = 6 (D) · sqrt(256) = 16 (M) · sqrt(196) = 14 (E) · sqrt(289) = 17 (C) · sqrt(529) = 23 (R) · sqrt(484) = 22 (K) · sqrt(9) = 3 (O) · sqrt(144) = 12 (I) · sqrt(441) = 21 (S) · sqrt(576) = 24 (N) · sqrt(25) = 5 (H) · sqrt(81) = 9 (A)
Clue 4 (Integers): "WE FOUND COBWEB STRANDS ON THE WALL"
(-8) + 33 = 25 (W) · (-11) + 13 = 2 (S) · (-2) + 9 = 7 (E) · (-11) + 28 = 17 (L) · 12 - (-10) = 22 (H) · (-5) + 44 = 39 (C) · 30 - (-10) = 40 (T) · (-9) + 46 = 37 (D) · (-3) + 35 = 32 (R) · (-7) + 19 = 12 (F) · 9 - (-9) = 18 (B) · (-14) + 25 = 11 (N) · (-14) + 49 = 35 (O) · (-8) + 22 = 14 (A) · (-8) + 24 = 16 (U)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 12) → Laura Dekker
2x + 9 = 19, x = 5 · 9x + 12 = 111, x = 11 · 7x + 7 = 49, x = 6 · 2x + 1 = 21, x = 10 · 6x + 11 = 65, x = 9 · 8x + 8 = 32, x = 3 · 5x + 5 = 25, x = 4 · 7x + 4 = 60, x = 8 · 7x + 6 = 13, x = 1 · 5x + 7 = 17, x = 2 · 8x + 3 = 59, x = 7

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 9 math
Math topics: Two-step equations, Exponents, Square roots, Integers
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Whispering Canopy Heist — set in the ancient ruins of the Whispering Canopy
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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