⚾ BaseballGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6Place valueAdditionSubtractionMultiplicationDivision
The Case of the Grand Slam Phantom
During the championship series at Grand Slam Stadium, someone swapped the official game ball with a heavy brass replica and fled into the dugouts! The head groundskeeper needs your detective skills to decode clues, analyze suspects, and catch the thief before tonight's big game.
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 | Signature Play | Secret Tactic | Throwing Hand | Hairstyle | Major Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedro Martinez | monster slug | bat corking | right handed | curly afro | slippery gum |
| Sandy Koufax | knuckleball | cleat spiking | right handed | buzz cut | loud airhorns |
| Cal Ripken | sneaky bunt | pine tar stick | left handed | curly afro | loud airhorns |
| Clayton Kershaw | fastball pitch | sign stealing | left handed | buzz cut | loud airhorns |
| Lou Gehrig | fastball pitch | cleat spiking | right handed | curly afro | slippery gum |
| Jackie Robinson | sneaky bunt | pine tar stick | right handed | curly afro | wet grass |
| Aaron Judge | monster slug | bat corking | right handed | buzz cut | loud airhorns |
| Honus Wagner | knuckleball | bat corking | left handed | long ponytail | loud airhorns |
| Cy Young | fastball pitch | bat corking | left handed | long ponytail | loud airhorns |
| Hank Aaron | golden glove | cleat spiking | left handed | long ponytail | slippery gum |
| Ty Cobb | golden glove | pine tar stick | right handed | curly afro | wet grass |
| Babe Ruth | sneaky bunt | bat corking | right handed | long ponytail | loud airhorns |
| Albert Pujols | sneaky bunt | pine tar stick | right handed | buzz cut | slippery gum |
| Willie Mays | monster slug | rosin dusting | left handed | buzz cut | wet grass |
| Ichiro Suzuki | fastball pitch | pine tar stick | right handed | long ponytail | slippery gum |
| Ted Williams | knuckleball | cleat spiking | left handed | curly afro | slippery gum |
| Mike Trout | golden glove | bat corking | left handed | long ponytail | loud airhorns |
| Mookie Betts | golden glove | sign stealing | right handed | buzz cut | wet grass |
| Shohei Ohtani | fastball pitch | cleat spiking | left handed | long ponytail | loud airhorns |
| Roberto Clemente | golden glove | pine tar stick | left handed | long ponytail | slippery gum |
| Ken Griffey | knuckleball | rosin dusting | left handed | long ponytail | loud airhorns |
Clue 1
Place value
You inspect the stadium digital scoreboard where digits in the hundred thousands column reveal a hidden cipher.
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
20
1000
2000
6000
500
700
700
600
500
10
70
100
2000
900
10
100
T
20
7000
900
2000
9000
100
900
500
10
70
7000
900
T
20
500
10
5000
What is the value of the 2 in 906,327?T
What is the value of the 7 in 28,579?D
What is the value of the 7 in 914,708?L
What is the value of the 1 in 31,567?H
What is the value of the 5 in 85,282?G
What is the value of the 7 in 997,460?U
What is the value of the 5 in 77,537?I
What is the value of the 6 in 405,649?A
What is the value of the 1 in 493,182?O
What is the value of the 9 in 576,926?S
What is the value of the 6 in 76,399?V
What is the value of the 9 in 49,334?R
What is the value of the 2 in 72,595?E
What is the value of the 1 in 73,919?N
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Addition
Next you sum up the stray baseballs collected from the outfield bullpen to find the next clue fragment.
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
3766
3117
5250
5718
6569
T
3766
7738
5250
5935
5935
5935
5721
5718
5721
6174
5250
6201
T
3766
3117
5721
7738
4922
5250
4922
T
3766
3117
2277
2998
5718
5250
2277
1202 + 2564 =T
1898 + 3823 =A
5171 + 2567 =N
3964 + 1754 =W
1077 + 1200 =R
1056 + 1942 =O
3514 + 3055 =I
2925 + 3249 =L
1748 + 3174 =D
1037 + 2080 =H
3805 + 2396 =F
3834 + 2101 =S
3138 + 2112 =E
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
You compare the original ticket count with the current gate total to subtract the discrepancy and crack the 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.
T
1680
3651
5179
5114
6964
6501
6501
6807
6964
5946
1489
2392
7170
6964
6501
8144
6807
1489
6501
7170
8315
4696
6807
6964
6144
3651
7170
6144
5946
1489
4984 - 3304 =T
7051 - 4659 =F
9830 - 1686 =W
7635 - 671 =I
9803 - 4689 =V
10199 - 4253 =N
7457 - 650 =A
6802 - 658 =R
3687 - 36 =H
5860 - 681 =E
5694 - 4205 =S
6043 - 1347 =D
7938 - 1437 =L
12027 - 4857 =O
8695 - 380 =U
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Multiplication facts (1-12)
Checking the bleacher section you multiply the number of seats per row to decipher the code on a dropped ticket stub.
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
56
4
21
88
15
90
21
88
9
60
A
56
8
4
12
60
121
A
56
88
45
28
A
56
12
21
88
45
80
15
21
80
60
8 × 7 =A
11 × 11 =R
1 × 9 =Y
12 × 1 =S
11 × 8 =N
7 × 3 =O
8 × 10 =U
5 × 12 =T
9 × 5 =D
9 × 10 =P
4 × 7 =W
2 × 4 =I
3 × 5 =G
1 × 4 =L
0/14 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
Finally you divide the total box seats equally among the stadium gates to unlock the terminal containing the final piece.
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
24 ÷ 3 = ?
22 ÷ 2 = ?
18 ÷ 6 = ?
30 ÷ 3 = ?
55 ÷ 11 = ?
16 ÷ 8 = ?
7 ÷ 1 = ?
48 ÷ 8 = ?
3 ÷ 3 = ?
84 ÷ 7 = ?
72 ÷ 8 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain flashed a golden glove, then spiked the dirt with cleats.
2.The villain flashed a golden glove, then applied sticky pine tar.
3.The villain threw a blazing fastball, then swapped in a corked bat.
4.The villain threw a blazing fastball, then spiked the dirt with cleats.
5.The villain spun a tricky knuckleball, then applied sticky pine tar.
6.The villain blasted a monster slug, then stole the catcher signs.
7.The villain spun a tricky knuckleball, then dusted the mound with rosin.
8.The villain flashed a golden glove, then swapped in a corked bat.
9.The villain blasted a monster slug, then spiked the dirt with cleats.
10.The villain laid down a sneaky bunt, then stole the catcher signs.
11.The villain spun a tricky knuckleball, then swapped in a corked bat.
12.The villain laid down a sneaky bunt, then swapped in a corked bat.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Grand Slam Phantom
Culprit: Shohei Ohtani (fastball pitch · cleat spiking · left handed · long ponytail · loud airhorns)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE ROSIN DUSTING"What is the value of the 2 in 906,327? = 20 (T) · What is the value of the 7 in 28,579? = 70 (D) · What is the value of the 7 in 914,708? = 700 (L) · What is the value of the 1 in 31,567? = 1000 (H) · What is the value of the 5 in 85,282? = 5000 (G) · What is the value of the 7 in 997,460? = 7000 (U) · What is the value of the 5 in 77,537? = 500 (I) · What is the value of the 6 in 405,649? = 600 (A) · What is the value of the 1 in 493,182? = 100 (O) · What is the value of the 9 in 576,926? = 900 (S) · What is the value of the 6 in 76,399? = 6000 (V) · What is the value of the 9 in 49,334? = 9000 (R) · What is the value of the 2 in 72,595? = 2000 (E) · What is the value of the 1 in 73,919? = 10 (N)
- Clue 2 (Addition): "THE WITNESS SAW A LEFT HANDED THROWER"1202 + 2564 = 3766 (T) · 1898 + 3823 = 5721 (A) · 5171 + 2567 = 7738 (N) · 3964 + 1754 = 5718 (W) · 1077 + 1200 = 2277 (R) · 1056 + 1942 = 2998 (O) · 3514 + 3055 = 6569 (I) · 2925 + 3249 = 6174 (L) · 1748 + 3174 = 4922 (D) · 1037 + 2080 = 3117 (H) · 3805 + 2396 = 6201 (F) · 3834 + 2101 = 5935 (S) · 3138 + 2112 = 5250 (E)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE VILLAINS FOIL WAS LOUD AIRHORNS"4984 - 3304 = 1680 (T) · 7051 - 4659 = 2392 (F) · 9830 - 1686 = 8144 (W) · 7635 - 671 = 6964 (I) · 9803 - 4689 = 5114 (V) · 10199 - 4253 = 5946 (N) · 7457 - 650 = 6807 (A) · 6802 - 658 = 6144 (R) · 3687 - 36 = 3651 (H) · 5860 - 681 = 5179 (E) · 5694 - 4205 = 1489 (S) · 6043 - 1347 = 4696 (D) · 7938 - 1437 = 6501 (L) · 12027 - 4857 = 7170 (O) · 8695 - 380 = 8315 (U)
- Clue 4 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "A LONG PONYTAIL STRAND WAS ON DUGOUT"8 × 7 = 56 (A) · 11 × 11 = 121 (R) · 1 × 9 = 9 (Y) · 12 × 1 = 12 (S) · 11 × 8 = 88 (N) · 7 × 3 = 21 (O) · 8 × 10 = 80 (U) · 5 × 12 = 60 (T) · 9 × 5 = 45 (D) · 9 × 10 = 90 (P) · 4 × 7 = 28 (W) · 2 × 4 = 8 (I) · 3 × 5 = 15 (G) · 1 × 4 = 4 (L)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Shohei Ohtani24 ÷ 3 = 8 · 22 ÷ 2 = 11 · 18 ÷ 6 = 3 · 30 ÷ 3 = 10 · 55 ÷ 11 = 5 · 16 ÷ 8 = 2 · 7 ÷ 1 = 7 · 48 ÷ 8 = 6 · 3 ÷ 3 = 1 · 84 ÷ 7 = 12 · 72 ÷ 8 = 9
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Case of the Grand Slam Phantom — set in Grand Slam Stadium
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects