⚽ SoccerGrade 7Reading: grades 7-9IntegersPercentagesOrder of operationsExponentsTwo-step equations
The Case of the Stadium Saboteur
Moments before the championship final at Apex International Soccer Stadium, someone locked the head referee in the locker room and swapped the official game balls with heavy fakes! Detective, analyze the clues left behind on the pitch to unmask the culprit.
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 | Special Move | Pro Gear | Dominant Foot | Hairstyle | Pitch Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Morgan | Bicycle Kick | Smart Cleats | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Wet Pitch |
| Erling Haaland | Curved Corner | Smart Cleats | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Bruno Fernandes | Curved Corner | Tinted Visor | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Wet Pitch |
| Jamal Musiala | Diving Header | Weighted Vest | Right-Footed | Curly Fade | Wet Pitch |
| Marcus Rashford | Power Free Kick | Tinted Visor | Right-Footed | Braided Ponytail | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Sam Kerr | Bicycle Kick | Carbon Shin Guards | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Son Heung-min | Diving Header | Smart Cleats | Right-Footed | Braided Ponytail | Blinding Floodlights |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Diving Header | Smart Cleats | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Aitana Bonmati | Speed Dribble | Grip Socks | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Wet Pitch |
| Harry Kane | Curved Corner | Smart Cleats | Right-Footed | Spiky Mohawk | Blinding Floodlights |
| Mohamed Salah | Power Free Kick | Grip Socks | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Wet Pitch |
| Pedri Lopez | Curved Corner | Smart Cleats | Right-Footed | Curly Fade | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Curved Corner | Smart Cleats | Left-Footed | Curly Fade | Wet Pitch |
| Declan Rice | Diving Header | Tinted Visor | Left-Footed | Braided Ponytail | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Bukayo Saka | Speed Dribble | Tinted Visor | Right-Footed | Braided Ponytail | Wet Pitch |
| Neymar Jr | Bicycle Kick | Tinted Visor | Right-Footed | Curly Fade | Blinding Floodlights |
| Virgil van Dijk | Diving Header | Carbon Shin Guards | Left-Footed | Spiky Mohawk | Wet Pitch |
| Robert Lewandowski | Curved Corner | Weighted Vest | Right-Footed | Spiky Mohawk | Wet Pitch |
| Lionel Messi | Speed Dribble | Carbon Shin Guards | Left-Footed | Braided Ponytail | Wet Pitch |
| Luka Modric | Diving Header | Smart Cleats | Left-Footed | Spiky Mohawk | Loud Vuvuzelas |
| Vinicius Jr | Bicycle Kick | Smart Cleats | Right-Footed | Spiky Mohawk | Wet Pitch |
Clue 1
Integers
The referee checked the yardage log where penalties and gains created positive and negative integers.
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
4
11
18
2
20
21
24
T
4
18
3
14
26
24
18
2
22
24
T
4
19
18
20
14
T
4
13
22
T
4
18
26
9
13
2
24
14
2
(-8) + 12 =T
7 - (-7) =R
(-14) + 36 =N
(-6) + 17 =H
(-9) + 30 =B
(-7) + 31 =O
(-6) + 8 =S
(-9) + 12 =U
(-2) + 22 =A
11 - (-8) =W
24 - (-2) =D
8 - (-10) =E
(-9) + 22 =I
(-14) + 23 =V
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Percentages
Stadium telemetry tracked the team's passing accuracy percentages across the entire first half.
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
16
9
6
43
30
6
13
59
17
43
T
16
28
15
59
6
28
50
13
43
57
6
27
T
16
27
53
53
T
16
6
34
5% of 320 =T
5% of 120 =E
25% of 236 =K
50% of 68 =D
10% of 170 =Y
75% of 40 =N
25% of 108 =F
20% of 65 =A
5% of 860 =S
75% of 76 =L
50% of 106 =O
60% of 15 =H
40% of 125 =W
10% of 150 =I
20% of 140 =R
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Order of operations
The tactical board displayed a multi-step conditioning score that required proper order of operations.
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
62
82
118
83
73
70
83
85
95
26
83
102
73
73
118
111
83
95
118
26
64
118
A
62
60
110
91
86
64
64
118
91
41 + 7 × 3 =A
9 × 10 - 20 =I
8 × 12 - 13 =T
12 × 11 - 22 =Y
11 × 8 - 3 =C
10 × 12 - 9 =D
9 × 12 - 22 =U
70 + 7 × 3 =R
12 × 11 - 14 =E
52 + 3 × 7 =P
77 + 5 × 5 =O
61 + 3 × 7 =W
6 × 8 - 22 =S
9 × 8 - 12 =K
12 × 8 - 1 =H
7 × 10 - 6 =N
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Exponents
The stadium's power grid analyzed drill intensity using exponential growth patterns.
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
9
343
81
32
400
225
81
121
400
4
100
100
T
9
400
27
81
49
343
100
256
49
400
32
216
121
25
16
4
400
128
81
3^2 =T
7^3 =H
6^3 =U
2^2 =F
20^2 =A
2^7 =D
11^2 =R
3^3 =G
5^2 =L
16^2 =W
10^2 =O
7^2 =S
3^4 =E
2^5 =C
2^4 =Y
15^2 =M
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Two-step equations — the last clue
The head analyst set up a two-step equation to figure out the exact training points remaining.
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
5x + 9 = 34, x = ?
5x + 8 = 58, x = ?
3x + 5 = 11, x = ?
5x + 8 = 28, x = ?
4x + 8 = 44, x = ?
4x + 2 = 34, x = ?
4x + 6 = 10, x = ?
4x + 4 = 48, x = ?
2x + 10 = 34, x = ?
3x + 2 = 23, x = ?
6x + 9 = 27, x = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain curled an unstoppable free kick into the net, then laced up high tech smart cleats.
2.The villain curled an unstoppable free kick into the net, then pulled up neon grip socks.
3.The villain curled a corner kick past the defense, then snapped on carbon shin guards.
4.The villain blazed past defenders with a speed dribble, then adjusted a tinted visor.
5.The villain blazed past defenders with a speed dribble, then pulled up neon grip socks.
6.The villain curled a corner kick past the defense, then laced up high tech smart cleats.
7.The villain snapped a diving header into the top corner, then strapped on a weighted vest.
8.The villain executed a spectacular bicycle kick, then pulled up neon grip socks.
9.The villain curled a corner kick past the defense, then pulled up neon grip socks.
10.The villain executed a spectacular bicycle kick, then laced up high tech smart cleats.
11.The villain blazed past defenders with a speed dribble, then laced up high tech smart cleats.
12.The villain blazed past defenders with a speed dribble, then snapped on carbon shin guards.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Case of the Stadium Saboteur
Culprit: Kevin De Bruyne (Curved Corner · Smart Cleats · Left-Footed · Curly Fade · Wet Pitch)
- Clue 1 (Integers): "THE SABOTEUR DOES NOT WEAR TINTED VISORS"(-8) + 12 = 4 (T) · 7 - (-7) = 14 (R) · (-14) + 36 = 22 (N) · (-6) + 17 = 11 (H) · (-9) + 30 = 21 (B) · (-7) + 31 = 24 (O) · (-6) + 8 = 2 (S) · (-9) + 12 = 3 (U) · (-2) + 22 = 20 (A) · 11 - (-8) = 19 (W) · 24 - (-2) = 26 (D) · 8 - (-10) = 18 (E) · (-9) + 22 = 13 (I) · (-14) + 23 = 9 (V)
- Clue 2 (Percentages): "THE SNEAKY STRIKER WAS LEFT FOOTED"5% of 320 = 16 (T) · 5% of 120 = 6 (E) · 25% of 236 = 59 (K) · 50% of 68 = 34 (D) · 10% of 170 = 17 (Y) · 75% of 40 = 30 (N) · 25% of 108 = 27 (F) · 20% of 65 = 13 (A) · 5% of 860 = 43 (S) · 75% of 76 = 57 (L) · 50% of 106 = 53 (O) · 60% of 15 = 9 (H) · 40% of 125 = 50 (W) · 10% of 150 = 15 (I) · 20% of 140 = 28 (R)
- Clue 3 (Order of operations): "A WET PITCH STOPPED THE SNEAKY RUNNER"41 + 7 × 3 = 62 (A) · 9 × 10 - 20 = 70 (I) · 8 × 12 - 13 = 83 (T) · 12 × 11 - 22 = 110 (Y) · 11 × 8 - 3 = 85 (C) · 10 × 12 - 9 = 111 (D) · 9 × 12 - 22 = 86 (U) · 70 + 7 × 3 = 91 (R) · 12 × 11 - 14 = 118 (E) · 52 + 3 × 7 = 73 (P) · 77 + 5 × 5 = 102 (O) · 61 + 3 × 7 = 82 (W) · 6 × 8 - 22 = 26 (S) · 9 × 8 - 12 = 60 (K) · 12 × 8 - 1 = 95 (H) · 7 × 10 - 6 = 64 (N)
- Clue 4 (Exponents): "THE CAMERA FOOTAGE SHOWS A CURLY FADE"3^2 = 9 (T) · 7^3 = 343 (H) · 6^3 = 216 (U) · 2^2 = 4 (F) · 20^2 = 400 (A) · 2^7 = 128 (D) · 11^2 = 121 (R) · 3^3 = 27 (G) · 5^2 = 25 (L) · 16^2 = 256 (W) · 10^2 = 100 (O) · 7^2 = 49 (S) · 3^4 = 81 (E) · 2^5 = 32 (C) · 2^4 = 16 (Y) · 15^2 = 225 (M)
- Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 6) → Kevin De Bruyne5x + 9 = 34, x = 5 · 5x + 8 = 58, x = 10 · 3x + 5 = 11, x = 2 · 5x + 8 = 28, x = 4 · 4x + 8 = 44, x = 9 · 4x + 2 = 34, x = 8 · 4x + 6 = 10, x = 1 · 4x + 4 = 48, x = 11 · 2x + 10 = 34, x = 12 · 3x + 2 = 23, x = 7 · 6x + 9 = 27, x = 3
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 7 math
- Math topics
- Integers, Percentages, Order of operations, Exponents, Two-step equations
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- The Case of the Stadium Saboteur — set in Apex International Soccer Stadium
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects