Grade 8Reading: grades 7-9Place valueAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
Mystery of the Skyport Saboteur
A rogue Sky Raider hijacked the main navigation beam at Stratos Skyport, leaving incoming airships blind in heavy fog. Chief Navigator Vance needs your deductive skills to solve math clues, clear suspects, and pinpoint the perpetrator before the fleet runs out of fuel.
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 | Gear Gadget | Secondary Tool | Headgear Choice | Hairstyle | Tactical Flaw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot Ruby | smoke bomb | signal jammer | wears helmet | braided ponytail | heavy gust |
| Sentry Cole | sonic pulse | turbo booster | wears goggles | braided ponytail | heavy gust |
| Tech Silas | glider wing | night vision | wears helmet | cropped buzz | bright flash |
| Cadet Owen | glider wing | signal jammer | wears helmet | spiky mohawk | loud whistle |
| Officer Zara | sonic pulse | flare gun | wears helmet | spiky mohawk | loud whistle |
| Pilot Maya | sonic pulse | flare gun | wears helmet | cropped buzz | heavy gust |
| Officer Milo | decoy drone | signal jammer | wears goggles | braided ponytail | bright flash |
| Cadet Piper | grapple hook | flare gun | wears goggles | braided ponytail | bright flash |
| Tech Elena | decoy drone | signal jammer | wears helmet | cropped buzz | loud whistle |
| Scout Brody | grapple hook | turbo booster | wears helmet | braided ponytail | bright flash |
| Navigator Nora | grapple hook | night vision | wears goggles | spiky mohawk | loud whistle |
| Engineer Eli | smoke bomb | jet pack | wears goggles | spiky mohawk | loud whistle |
| Officer Iris | grapple hook | jet pack | wears helmet | braided ponytail | heavy gust |
| Captain Jax | grapple hook | flare gun | wears helmet | braided ponytail | heavy gust |
| Navigator Kai | glider wing | flare gun | wears helmet | cropped buzz | heavy gust |
| Navigator Luca | sonic pulse | night vision | wears helmet | braided ponytail | heavy gust |
| Rigger Tess | decoy drone | turbo booster | wears helmet | braided ponytail | bright flash |
| Sentry Mason | grapple hook | signal jammer | wears helmet | braided ponytail | heavy gust |
| Scout Vera | glider wing | signal jammer | wears helmet | spiky mohawk | heavy gust |
| Pilot Axel | sonic pulse | jet pack | wears helmet | spiky mohawk | loud whistle |
| Engineer Nina | grapple hook | flare gun | wears goggles | spiky mohawk | heavy gust |
Clue 1
Place value
The security terminal displays airship registry numbers using place value digits.
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
70
300
30
20
5000
900
40
T
70
30
10
500
80
40
30
20
100
40
T
70
10
20
30
5000
90
4000
5000
500
30
3000
10
100
What is the value of the 7 in 443,279?T
What is the value of the 9 in 588,494?F
What is the value of the 3 in 873,120?G
What is the value of the 3 in 478,136?E
What is the value of the 1 in 255,138?N
What is the value of the 9 in 838,957?B
What is the value of the 8 in 45,080?D
What is the value of the 2 in 776,928?S
What is the value of the 4 in 56,149?O
What is the value of the 5 in 97,530?R
What is the value of the 3 in 284,357?H
What is the value of the 1 in 26,316?U
What is the value of the 4 in 14,651?L
What is the value of the 5 in 85,493?A
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
Counting supply crates stored in the main hangar reveals hidden cargo figures.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
W
3235
5176
6282
4508
8356
6155
6155
8356
6155
6155
5720
W
3235
5720
5438
8356
5720
8677
3215
8890
3661
5176
7411
5438
6282
5438
8356
3661
3333
8356
6282
1626 + 1609 =W
2121 + 2387 =N
2263 + 1070 =M
3225 + 2495 =A
1635 + 2026 =L
3766 + 1672 =H
1877 + 1338 =Y
2061 + 4094 =S
4471 + 3885 =E
1995 + 3181 =I
5623 + 3267 =F
3748 + 4929 =V
4065 + 3346 =G
4226 + 2056 =T
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
Comparing energy meter logs before and after the power surge shows total energy loss.
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
8087
1280
7943
3109
5003
6649
4176
T
8087
7943
3356
3274
3754
5003
3109
3109
T
8087
4176
4616
4616
7943
7780
6649
6119
5003
1280
7943
5003
4157
6119
2305
3356
3109
T
8087
8430 - 343 =T
8533 - 4376 =V
10441 - 4322 =Y
5884 - 4604 =H
7787 - 4513 =R
5245 - 1491 =W
11493 - 4844 =B
7213 - 3037 =O
8682 - 4066 =P
3385 - 276 =S
8695 - 3692 =A
10790 - 2847 =E
4324 - 968 =U
6362 - 4057 =G
11487 - 3707 =D
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1-12)
Inspecting arranged rows of flight battery banks gives an exact count of charged units.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
R
33
80
40
60
16
80
R
33
80
108
7
63
96
R
33
121
96
45
80
R
33
132
132
7
60
48
63
45
R
33
63
96
108
80
108
4
60
24
144
3
63
96
27
11 × 3 =R
10 × 8 =E
12 × 12 =Y
11 × 11 =F
6 × 4 =N
8 × 12 =I
3 × 9 =L
9 × 7 =A
7 × 1 =H
8 × 6 =W
5 × 12 =O
1 × 4 =P
9 × 5 =B
8 × 5 =C
3 × 1 =T
9 × 12 =D
8 × 2 =V
12 × 11 =S
0/18 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
Distributing radio frequencies equally among patrol squads reveals the hidden channel.
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
108 ÷ 12 = ?
5 ÷ 1 = ?
8 ÷ 8 = ?
8 ÷ 2 = ?
60 ÷ 10 = ?
144 ÷ 12 = ?
24 ÷ 8 = ?
4 ÷ 2 = ?
30 ÷ 3 = ?
64 ÷ 8 = ?
66 ÷ 6 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain scrambled sensor grids with a sonic pulse, then tracked patrols using night vision.
2.The villain banked sharply on a glider wing, then signaled allies using a flare gun.
3.The villain banked sharply on a glider wing, then escaped quickly using a jet pack.
4.The villain banked sharply on a glider wing, then blocked comms with a signal jammer.
5.The villain swung across the deck with a grapple hook, then blocked comms with a signal jammer.
6.The villain swung across the deck with a grapple hook, then tracked patrols using night vision.
7.The villain swung across the deck with a grapple hook, then escaped quickly using a jet pack.
8.The villain scrambled sensor grids with a sonic pulse, then signaled allies using a flare gun.
9.The villain vanished behind a thick smoke bomb, then blocked comms with a signal jammer.
10.The villain distracted guards using a decoy drone, then blocked comms with a signal jammer.
11.The villain banked sharply on a glider wing, then outran security with a turbo booster.
12.The villain vanished behind a thick smoke bomb, then escaped quickly using a jet pack.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — Mystery of the Skyport Saboteur
Culprit: Officer Iris (grapple hook · jet pack · wears helmet · braided ponytail · heavy gust)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE SABOTEUR DOES NOT USE A FLARE GUN"What is the value of the 7 in 443,279? = 70 (T) · What is the value of the 9 in 588,494? = 90 (F) · What is the value of the 3 in 873,120? = 3000 (G) · What is the value of the 3 in 478,136? = 30 (E) · What is the value of the 1 in 255,138? = 100 (N) · What is the value of the 9 in 838,957? = 900 (B) · What is the value of the 8 in 45,080? = 80 (D) · What is the value of the 2 in 776,928? = 20 (S) · What is the value of the 4 in 56,149? = 40 (O) · What is the value of the 5 in 97,530? = 500 (R) · What is the value of the 3 in 284,357? = 300 (H) · What is the value of the 1 in 26,316? = 10 (U) · What is the value of the 4 in 14,651? = 4000 (L) · What is the value of the 5 in 85,493? = 5000 (A)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "WITNESSES SAW A HEAVY FLIGHT HELMET"1626 + 1609 = 3235 (W) · 2121 + 2387 = 4508 (N) · 2263 + 1070 = 3333 (M) · 3225 + 2495 = 5720 (A) · 1635 + 2026 = 3661 (L) · 3766 + 1672 = 5438 (H) · 1877 + 1338 = 3215 (Y) · 2061 + 4094 = 6155 (S) · 4471 + 3885 = 8356 (E) · 1995 + 3181 = 5176 (I) · 5623 + 3267 = 8890 (F) · 3748 + 4929 = 8677 (V) · 4065 + 3346 = 7411 (G) · 4226 + 2056 = 6282 (T)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE SABOTEUR WAS STOPPED BY A HEAVY GUST"8430 - 343 = 8087 (T) · 8533 - 4376 = 4157 (V) · 10441 - 4322 = 6119 (Y) · 5884 - 4604 = 1280 (H) · 7787 - 4513 = 3274 (R) · 5245 - 1491 = 3754 (W) · 11493 - 4844 = 6649 (B) · 7213 - 3037 = 4176 (O) · 8682 - 4066 = 4616 (P) · 3385 - 276 = 3109 (S) · 8695 - 3692 = 5003 (A) · 10790 - 2847 = 7943 (E) · 4324 - 968 = 3356 (U) · 6362 - 4057 = 2305 (G) · 11487 - 3707 = 7780 (D)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "RECOVERED HAIR FIBERS SHOW A BRAIDED PONYTAIL"11 × 3 = 33 (R) · 10 × 8 = 80 (E) · 12 × 12 = 144 (Y) · 11 × 11 = 121 (F) · 6 × 4 = 24 (N) · 8 × 12 = 96 (I) · 3 × 9 = 27 (L) · 9 × 7 = 63 (A) · 7 × 1 = 7 (H) · 8 × 6 = 48 (W) · 5 × 12 = 60 (O) · 1 × 4 = 4 (P) · 9 × 5 = 45 (B) · 8 × 5 = 40 (C) · 3 × 1 = 3 (T) · 9 × 12 = 108 (D) · 8 × 2 = 16 (V) · 12 × 11 = 132 (S)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 7) → Officer Iris108 ÷ 12 = 9 · 5 ÷ 1 = 5 · 8 ÷ 8 = 1 · 8 ÷ 2 = 4 · 60 ÷ 10 = 6 · 144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 24 ÷ 8 = 3 · 4 ÷ 2 = 2 · 30 ÷ 3 = 10 · 64 ÷ 8 = 8 · 66 ÷ 6 = 11
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 8 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- Mystery of the Skyport Saboteur — set in Stratos Floating Skyport
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects