🔎 The World Cup, where every sGrade 4Reading: grades 3-4MultiplicationRoundingFractions of a numberBar models
The World Cup Ticket Heist
The World Cup final is tonight! But when the ticket vault was opened, it was completely empty. Someone stole every single ticket! The security cameras show a head coach from one of the top teams sneaking in. We must find the thief before kickoff!
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 | Coaching Tactic | Signature Gear | Habit | Cap Color | Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marko Mitrovic | High Press | Golden Whistle | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Diego Simeone | Park the Bus | Golden Whistle | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Tite | Total Football | Golden Whistle | Spins Whistle | Blue Cap | Squeaky Mascot |
| Hajime Moriyasu | Park the Bus | Golden Whistle | Chews Gum | Blue Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Mauricio Pochettino | Park the Bus | Designer Scarf | Spins Whistle | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Yasuharu Kurata | Counter Attack | Designer Scarf | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Bruce Arena | High Press | Smart Watch | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Gregg Berhalter | High Press | Golden Whistle | Spins Whistle | Blue Cap | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Lionel Scaloni | Counter Attack | Tactical Tablet | Spins Whistle | Red Cap | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Tony Gustavsson | Park the Bus | Designer Scarf | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Squeaky Mascot |
| Laurent Blanc | Counter Attack | Lucky Clipboard | Chews Gum | Green Cap | Squeaky Mascot |
| Graham Arnold | High Press | Smart Watch | Spins Whistle | Blue Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Kevin Muscat | High Press | Designer Scarf | Spins Whistle | Blue Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Marcelo Bielsa | Counter Attack | Golden Whistle | Chews Gum | Blue Cap | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Thierry Henry | Total Football | Tactical Tablet | Chews Gum | Blue Cap | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Herve Renard | Counter Attack | Golden Whistle | Spins Whistle | Red Cap | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Dorival Junior | Counter Attack | Lucky Clipboard | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Emma Hayes | Park the Bus | Lucky Clipboard | Chews Gum | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Futoshi Ikeda | Total Football | Golden Whistle | Chews Gum | Green Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Mano Menezes | Counter Attack | Smart Watch | Spins Whistle | Red Cap | Slippery Mud |
| Ange Postecoglou | Total Football | Designer Scarf | Spins Whistle | Green Cap | Squeaky Mascot |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We found the gear room in a mess. The suspect stacked soccer balls in equal rows. Let us multiply the rows to count the balls and find a clue.
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
55
108
12
T
55
108
14
12
3
66
25
12
20
9
25
T
55
11
20
12
18
20
72
18
96
T
55
77
18
T
55
49
108
5 × 11 =T
5 × 5 =O
2 × 7 =I
2 × 6 =E
12 × 8 =R
9 × 1 =N
9 × 12 =H
6 × 3 =A
6 × 11 =D
7 × 7 =C
11 × 1 =U
4 × 5 =S
6 × 12 =M
11 × 7 =W
3 × 1 =F
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Rounding
The stadium security gate has a digital scale. It only shows the suspect's weight rounded to the nearest ten. Round this number to get the clue.
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
5000
90
430
20
700
3000
3000
1700
700
9000
1300
90
430
300
3700
30
900
170
Round 4,962 to the nearest thousandT
Round 3,705 to the nearest hundredS
Round 9,200 to the nearest thousandN
Round 431 to the nearest tenE
Round 91 to the nearest tenH
Round 167 to the nearest tenM
Round 23 to the nearest tenV
Round 875 to the nearest hundredU
Round 1,287 to the nearest hundredC
Round 260 to the nearest hundredW
Round 2,732 to the nearest thousandL
Round 1,686 to the nearest hundredA
Round 724 to the nearest hundredI
Round 29 to the nearest tenG
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Fractions of a number
A box of shiny whistles was tipped over. A fraction of the whistles are missing. Find that fraction to unlock our next lead.
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
4
38
36
12
12
35
26
5
3
30
11
S
4
38
20
25
S
4
19
6
36
S
4
12
35
26
S
4
20
24
11
20
25
24
4/5 of 5 =S
4/6 of 30 =O
1/5 of 60 =P
1/5 of 25 =Y
2/8 of 120 =U
3/6 of 48 =N
1/6 of 150 =W
1/3 of 18 =H
2/8 of 140 =E
4/10 of 65 =R
3/6 of 72 =I
1/6 of 114 =T
1/2 of 6 =M
5/10 of 22 =D
1/4 of 152 =L
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Bar model word problems
The suspect drew two bars on a tactics board to compare training times. Solve the bar model puzzle to see where they went next.
Draw a bar model to solve each word problem. Its answer reveals a letter — write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Astrandofhairturnedupatthescene.
R
73
137
40
39
69
44
The referee has 146 water bottles, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?
draw a bar model
Answer:→R
The referee used 1/3 of the soccer balls on the first day. The other 26 soccer balls were used the next day. How many soccer balls were there in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→C
There were 74 soccer balls in all. 5 soccer balls were used. How many soccer balls are left?
draw a bar model
Answer:→A
One group collected 54 practice cones and another group collected 83 practice cones. How many practice cones in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→E
The referee has 88 soccer balls, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled?
draw a bar model
Answer:→P
One group collected 22 soccer balls and another group collected 18 soccer balls. How many soccer balls in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→D
0/6 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
The thief left behind a pack of energy bars. A fraction of them were eaten during the escape. Calculate the eaten bars to get the final clue.
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
5/10 of 24 = ?
5/10 of 12 = ?
1/8 of 88 = ?
5/10 of 2 = ?
1/3 of 6 = ?
1/5 of 35 = ?
2/10 of 45 = ?
2/6 of 30 = ?
3/8 of 8 = ?
1/8 of 32 = ?
2/5 of 20 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain parked a defensive bus in the hall, then tapped a smart watch.
2.The villain used tiki taka passes to slip inside, then tapped a tactical tablet.
3.The villain ordered a high press on the vault, then dropped a designer scarf.
4.The villain parked a defensive bus in the hall, then dropped a designer scarf.
5.The villain launched a fast counter attack, then dropped a designer scarf.
6.The villain parked a defensive bus in the hall, then shined a golden whistle.
7.The villain launched a fast counter attack, then shined a golden whistle.
8.The villain ordered a high press on the vault, then shined a golden whistle.
9.The villain used tiki taka passes to slip inside, then tapped a smart watch.
10.The villain ordered a high press on the vault, then tapped a smart watch.
11.The villain launched a fast counter attack, then dropped a lucky clipboard.
12.The villain parked a defensive bus in the hall, then dropped a lucky clipboard.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The World Cup Ticket Heist
Culprit: Yasuharu Kurata (Counter Attack · Designer Scarf · Chews Gum · Red Cap · Slippery Mud)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE THIEF DOES NOT USE A SMART WATCH"5 × 11 = 55 (T) · 5 × 5 = 25 (O) · 2 × 7 = 14 (I) · 2 × 6 = 12 (E) · 12 × 8 = 96 (R) · 9 × 1 = 9 (N) · 9 × 12 = 108 (H) · 6 × 3 = 18 (A) · 6 × 11 = 66 (D) · 7 × 7 = 49 (C) · 11 × 1 = 11 (U) · 4 × 5 = 20 (S) · 6 × 12 = 72 (M) · 11 × 7 = 77 (W) · 3 × 1 = 3 (F)
- Clue 2 (Rounding): "THE VILLAIN CHEWS GUM"Round 4,962 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (T) · Round 3,705 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (S) · Round 9,200 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (N) · Round 431 to the nearest ten = 430 (E) · Round 91 to the nearest ten = 90 (H) · Round 167 to the nearest ten = 170 (M) · Round 23 to the nearest ten = 20 (V) · Round 875 to the nearest hundred = 900 (U) · Round 1,287 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (C) · Round 260 to the nearest hundred = 300 (W) · Round 2,732 to the nearest thousand = 3000 (L) · Round 1,686 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (A) · Round 724 to the nearest hundred = 700 (I) · Round 29 to the nearest ten = 30 (G)
- Clue 3 (Fractions of a number): "SLIPPERY MUD SLOWS THIS PERSON DOWN"4/5 of 5 = 4 (S) · 4/6 of 30 = 20 (O) · 1/5 of 60 = 12 (P) · 1/5 of 25 = 5 (Y) · 2/8 of 120 = 30 (U) · 3/6 of 48 = 24 (N) · 1/6 of 150 = 25 (W) · 1/3 of 18 = 6 (H) · 2/8 of 140 = 35 (E) · 4/10 of 65 = 26 (R) · 3/6 of 72 = 36 (I) · 1/6 of 114 = 19 (T) · 1/2 of 6 = 3 (M) · 5/10 of 22 = 11 (D) · 1/4 of 152 = 38 (L)
- Clue 4 (Bar model word problems): "RED CAP"The referee has 146 water bottles, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 73 (R) · The referee used 1/3 of the soccer balls on the first day. The other 26 soccer balls were used the next day. How many soccer balls were there in all? = 39 (C) · There were 74 soccer balls in all. 5 soccer balls were used. How many soccer balls are left? = 69 (A) · One group collected 54 practice cones and another group collected 83 practice cones. How many practice cones in all? = 137 (E) · The referee has 88 soccer balls, packed 2 to a bag. How many bags can be filled? = 44 (P) · One group collected 22 soccer balls and another group collected 18 soccer balls. How many soccer balls in all? = 40 (D)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 5) → Yasuharu Kurata5/10 of 24 = 12 · 5/10 of 12 = 6 · 1/8 of 88 = 11 · 5/10 of 2 = 1 · 1/3 of 6 = 2 · 1/5 of 35 = 7 · 2/10 of 45 = 9 · 2/6 of 30 = 10 · 3/8 of 8 = 3 · 1/8 of 32 = 4 · 2/5 of 20 = 8
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 4 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Rounding, Fractions of a number, Bar models
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The World Cup Ticket Heist — set in Lusail Iconic Stadium VIP Zone
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects