Grade 9Reading: grades 5-6Two-step equationsExponentsSquare rootsIntegers

The Cloud Crystal Heist

Someone snuck onto the flagship airship at the sky docks and stole the glowing Cloud Crystal! As lead detective of the Sky Rangers, you must examine clues left on the deck and crack the flight codes to catch the true Sky Bandit.

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	Flight Skill	Gadget Used	Dominant Hand	Hair Style	Counter Gadget
Talia Frost	Thermal Soaring	Smoke Flares	Right Handed	Copper Curls	Magnet Shield
Freya Thorne	Wind Whispering	Smoke Flares	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Magnet Shield
Orion Vale	Lightning Dash	Sonic Horn	Left Handed	Copper Curls	Glow Lantern
Finn Drake	Wind Whispering	Sonic Horn	Left Handed	Copper Curls	Glow Lantern
Maya Lin	Wind Whispering	Smoke Flares	Left Handed	Copper Curls	Whistle Trap
Sienna Park	Storm Gliding	Glider Wings	Left Handed	Silver Braids	Glow Lantern
Gideon Vance	Wind Whispering	Flash Pellets	Left Handed	Raven Crop	Magnet Shield
Lyra Bel	Lightning Dash	Rope Launcher	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Glow Lantern
Skye Sterling	Thermal Soaring	Smoke Flares	Right Handed	Raven Crop	Glow Lantern
Wilbur Wright	Thermal Soaring	Rope Launcher	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Whistle Trap
Eli Hudson	Thermal Soaring	Rope Launcher	Right Handed	Raven Crop	Glow Lantern
Amelia Earhart	Grapple Hooking	Sonic Horn	Left Handed	Silver Braids	Magnet Shield
Zora Neale	Storm Gliding	Smoke Flares	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Glow Lantern
Ranger Pip	Grapple Hooking	Smoke Flares	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Glow Lantern
Rowan Croft	Wind Whispering	Flash Pellets	Right Handed	Copper Curls	Whistle Trap
Nova Cross	Wind Whispering	Glider Wings	Right Handed	Raven Crop	Whistle Trap
Jasper Vance	Lightning Dash	Flash Pellets	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Whistle Trap
Charles Lindbergh	Grapple Hooking	Sonic Horn	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Glow Lantern
Bessie Coleman	Wind Whispering	Glider Wings	Left Handed	Raven Crop	Whistle Trap
Dante Cruz	Storm Gliding	Glider Wings	Right Handed	Raven Crop	Glow Lantern
Captain Leo	Storm Gliding	Glider Wings	Right Handed	Silver Braids	Glow Lantern

Clue 1

Two-step equations

To unlock the airship flight log, you must calculate the missing altitude balance from the twin engine readings.

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 + 11 = 91, x =T

4x + 9 = 25, x =N

9x + 12 = 120, x =R

6x + 8 = 38, x =H

8x + 1 = 177, x =L

8x + 6 = 118, x =I

3x + 11 = 74, x =A

9x + 7 = 97, x =S

2x + 5 = 35, x =D

4x + 9 = 41, x =V

2x + 5 = 43, x =C

7x + 10 = 52, x =O

6x + 9 = 87, x =E

7x + 2 = 16, x =U

0/14 letters found

Clue 2

Exponents

The cloud radar signal grows by powers of two every second, so decrypting the ping pattern reveals where the thief flew.

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

484

216

289

169

441

289

324

125

128

169

100

289

225

484

169

289

484

216

289

144

196

144

729

216

484

216

324

441

22^2 =T

21^2 =N

2^2 =D

17^2 =E

5^3 =K

13^2 =S

2^7 =Y

10^2 =P

6^3 =H

15^2 =C

14^2 =R

9^3 =G

18^2 =A

3^3 =U

12^2 =I

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Square roots

The sky dock has a square landing grid, and finding its side length helps pinpoint where the suspect dropped their map.

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(289) =B

sqrt(4) =W

sqrt(441) =S

sqrt(64) =N

sqrt(169) =E

sqrt(400) =I

sqrt(121) =A

sqrt(256) =H

sqrt(324) =R

sqrt(16) =O

sqrt(25) =T

sqrt(100) =G

sqrt(625) =M

sqrt(49) =F

sqrt(36) =C

sqrt(484) =L

sqrt(81) =D

0/17 letters found

Clue 4

Integers

The wind speed gauge measures warm rising drafts as positive numbers and cold downdrafts as negative numbers to track the path.

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

(-3) + 28 =S

(-2) + 39 =H

(-13) + 16 =N

(-13) + 21 =E

(-7) + 19 =T

17 - (-2) =L

(-11) + 45 =A

(-14) + 27 =I

26 - (-6) =R

32 - (-3) =D

(-11) + 29 =O

(-14) + 41 =V

(-2) + 22 =W

(-6) + 11 =F

0/14 letters found

Clue 5

Two-step equations — the last clue

To bypass the security gate on the airship deck, you need to solve the dial lock puzzle using two balancing weight steps.

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

3x + 5 = 26, x = ?

2x + 9 = 21, x = ?

4x + 11 = 47, x = ?

3x + 9 = 18, x = ?

6x + 8 = 68, x = ?

9x + 1 = 37, x = ?

5x + 9 = 19, x = ?

3x + 12 = 48, x = ?

8x + 7 = 15, x = ?

2x + 7 = 17, x = ?

8x + 8 = 72, x = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain swung from grapple hooks, then fired a swift rope launcher.

2.The villain soared across thermal vents, then dropped heavy smoke flares.

3.The villain swung from grapple hooks, then unfolded giant glider wings.

4.The villain soared across thermal vents, then tossed blinding flash pellets.

5.The villain whispered commands to the wind, then tossed blinding flash pellets.

6.The villain dashed like a lightning bolt, then fired a swift rope launcher.

7.The villain glided on storm currents, then unfolded giant glider wings.

8.The villain soared across thermal vents, then blared a loud sonic horn.

9.The villain glided on storm currents, then dropped heavy smoke flares.

10.The villain glided on storm currents, then blared a loud sonic horn.

11.The villain swung from grapple hooks, then dropped heavy smoke flares.

12.The villain dashed like a lightning bolt, then dropped heavy smoke flares.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Cloud Crystal Heist

Culprit: Ranger Pip (Grapple Hooking · Smoke Flares · Right Handed · Silver Braids · Glow Lantern)

Clue 1 (Two-step equations): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE A SONIC HORN"
5x + 11 = 91, x = 16 (T) · 4x + 9 = 25, x = 4 (N) · 9x + 12 = 120, x = 12 (R) · 6x + 8 = 38, x = 5 (H) · 8x + 1 = 177, x = 22 (L) · 8x + 6 = 118, x = 14 (I) · 3x + 11 = 74, x = 21 (A) · 9x + 7 = 97, x = 10 (S) · 2x + 5 = 35, x = 15 (D) · 4x + 9 = 41, x = 8 (V) · 2x + 5 = 43, x = 19 (C) · 7x + 10 = 52, x = 6 (O) · 6x + 9 = 87, x = 13 (E) · 7x + 2 = 16, x = 2 (U)
Clue 2 (Exponents): "THE SNEAKY SUSPECT USED THEIR RIGHT HAND"
22^2 = 484 (T) · 21^2 = 441 (N) · 2^2 = 4 (D) · 17^2 = 289 (E) · 5^3 = 125 (K) · 13^2 = 169 (S) · 2^7 = 128 (Y) · 10^2 = 100 (P) · 6^3 = 216 (H) · 15^2 = 225 (C) · 14^2 = 196 (R) · 9^3 = 729 (G) · 18^2 = 324 (A) · 3^3 = 27 (U) · 12^2 = 144 (I)
Clue 3 (Square roots): "BRIGHT GLOW LANTERNS SCARED THEM OFF"
sqrt(289) = 17 (B) · sqrt(4) = 2 (W) · sqrt(441) = 21 (S) · sqrt(64) = 8 (N) · sqrt(169) = 13 (E) · sqrt(400) = 20 (I) · sqrt(121) = 11 (A) · sqrt(256) = 16 (H) · sqrt(324) = 18 (R) · sqrt(16) = 4 (O) · sqrt(25) = 5 (T) · sqrt(100) = 10 (G) · sqrt(625) = 25 (M) · sqrt(49) = 7 (F) · sqrt(36) = 6 (C) · sqrt(484) = 22 (L) · sqrt(81) = 9 (D)
Clue 4 (Integers): "SILVER STRANDS WERE LEFT ON THE HARNESS"
(-3) + 28 = 25 (S) · (-2) + 39 = 37 (H) · (-13) + 16 = 3 (N) · (-13) + 21 = 8 (E) · (-7) + 19 = 12 (T) · 17 - (-2) = 19 (L) · (-11) + 45 = 34 (A) · (-14) + 27 = 13 (I) · 26 - (-6) = 32 (R) · 32 - (-3) = 35 (D) · (-11) + 29 = 18 (O) · (-14) + 41 = 27 (V) · (-2) + 22 = 20 (W) · (-6) + 11 = 5 (F)
Clue 5 (Two-step equations): surviving statement (box 11) → Ranger Pip
3x + 5 = 26, x = 7 · 2x + 9 = 21, x = 6 · 4x + 11 = 47, x = 9 · 3x + 9 = 18, x = 3 · 6x + 8 = 68, x = 10 · 9x + 1 = 37, x = 4 · 5x + 9 = 19, x = 2 · 3x + 12 = 48, x = 12 · 8x + 7 = 15, x = 1 · 2x + 7 = 17, x = 5 · 8x + 8 = 72, x = 8

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 9 math
Math topics: Two-step equations, Exponents, Square roots, Integers
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Cloud Crystal Heist — set in Aethelgard Sky Docks
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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