⚽ SoccerGrade 9Reading: grades 3-4MultiplicationTwo-step equationsExponentsSquare rootsDivision

The Great Stadium Trophy Caper

Just minutes before the championship match, someone sneaked into the trophy room and stole the Golden Cup! Use your math skills to eliminate suspects and find 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	Signature Kick	Gear Item	Dominant Foot	Hairstyle	Distraction
Cristiano Ronaldo	Knuckleball	Headband	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Antoine Griezmann	Knuckleball	Shinguards	Right Footed	Spiky Hair	Bright Floodlights
Alex Morgan	Volley Shot	Captain Armband	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Whistle Sound
Jamal Musiala	Knuckleball	Headband	Left Footed	Slicked Back	Bright Floodlights
Marcus Rashford	Curling Free Kick	Headband	Left Footed	Spiky Hair	Whistle Sound
Luka Modric	Curling Free Kick	Padded Gloves	Left Footed	Spiky Hair	Bright Floodlights
Marta	Knuckleball	Captain Armband	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Jude Bellingham	Bicycle Kick	Headband	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Slippery Grass
Virgil van Dijk	Curling Free Kick	Captain Armband	Left Footed	Spiky Hair	Bright Floodlights
Mohamed Salah	Rainbow Flick	Shinguards	Right Footed	Slicked Back	Whistle Sound
Declan Rice	Rainbow Flick	Captain Armband	Left Footed	Slicked Back	Slippery Grass
Bruno Fernandes	Curling Free Kick	Captain Armband	Right Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Sam Kerr	Rainbow Flick	Captain Armband	Right Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Erling Haaland	Volley Shot	Padded Gloves	Left Footed	Slicked Back	Slippery Grass
Son Heung Min	Bicycle Kick	Captain Armband	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Harry Kane	Knuckleball	Shinguards	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Megan Rapinoe	Knuckleball	Shinguards	Left Footed	Spiky Hair	Slippery Grass
Lionel Messi	Rainbow Flick	Padded Gloves	Left Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Bukayo Saka	Rainbow Flick	Shinguards	Left Footed	Slicked Back	Bright Floodlights
Kylian Mbappe	Volley Shot	Captain Armband	Right Footed	Curly Afro	Bright Floodlights
Kevin De Bruyne	Rainbow Flick	Headband	Right Footed	Spiky Hair	Slippery Grass

Clue 1

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The stadium equipment manager stacked crates of soccer balls in equal rows. Solve this multiplication puzzle to uncover the first 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.

110

3 × 11 =T

11 × 5 =E

10 × 6 =P

3 × 9 =G

11 × 1 =V

4 × 8 =N

12 × 7 =D

10 × 4 =R

10 × 5 =S

9 × 10 =L

5 × 7 =I

11 × 2 =O

10 × 11 =W

4 × 5 =A

6 × 9 =H

0/15 letters found

Clue 2

Two-step equations

The scoreboard system was locked behind an equation involving ticket sales and snack bar totals. Solve it to decode 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.

7x + 1 = 22, x =M

5x + 5 = 100, x =A

8x + 2 = 162, x =P

8x + 9 = 113, x =F

4x + 6 = 90, x =N

8x + 8 = 104, x =R

4x + 2 = 74, x =T

4x + 9 = 69, x =L

3x + 5 = 35, x =O

5x + 11 = 51, x =S

5x + 5 = 60, x =E

5x + 12 = 22, x =H

2x + 12 = 20, x =V

3x + 2 = 50, x =U

3x + 3 = 69, x =I

4x + 4 = 28, x =D

2x + 1 = 15, x =W

0/17 letters found

Clue 3

Exponents

The floodlight tower uses exponential power grids that double output per level. Calculate the power total to reveal the next 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.

289

484

441

216

121

729

121

441

512

289

121

324

625

512

128

625

225

17^2 =B

3^4 =D

3^6 =O

2^5 =U

21^2 =G

5^4 =E

15^2 =C

6^3 =F

5^2 =H

2^3 =I

2^7 =P

2^2 =T

18^2 =N

8^3 =S

11^2 =L

22^2 =R

0/16 letters found

Clue 4

Square roots

The groundskeeper marked out a square practice grid and needs to find its side length. Solve the square root problem to continue.

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(576) =C

sqrt(49) =T

sqrt(529) =O

sqrt(100) =W

sqrt(225) =Y

sqrt(625) =H

sqrt(400) =G

sqrt(169) =S

sqrt(36) =E

sqrt(361) =L

sqrt(256) =I

sqrt(64) =N

sqrt(9) =R

sqrt(441) =U

sqrt(289) =A

sqrt(484) =F

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

The coach is dividing energy drinks equally among all players on the bench. Solve this division problem 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

6 ÷ 2 = ?

36 ÷ 6 = ?

121 ÷ 11 = ?

28 ÷ 7 = ?

100 ÷ 10 = ?

60 ÷ 5 = ?

10 ÷ 10 = ?

10 ÷ 2 = ?

70 ÷ 10 = ?

14 ÷ 7 = ?

90 ÷ 10 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain blasted a volley shot, then adjusted a captain armband.

2.The villain curled a free kick, then strapped on shinguards.

3.The villain curved a knuckleball shot, then strapped on shinguards.

4.The villain curled a free kick, then adjusted a captain armband.

5.The villain blasted a volley shot, then laced up neon cleats.

6.The villain curved a knuckleball shot, then adjusted a headband.

7.The villain struck a bicycle kick, then laced up neon cleats.

8.The villain struck a bicycle kick, then adjusted a captain armband.

9.The villain curved a knuckleball shot, then laced up neon cleats.

10.The villain blasted a volley shot, then pulled on padded gloves.

11.The villain curved a knuckleball shot, then adjusted a captain armband.

12.The villain performed a rainbow flick, then laced up neon cleats.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Great Stadium Trophy Caper

Culprit: Son Heung Min (Bicycle Kick · Captain Armband · Left Footed · Curly Afro · Bright Floodlights)

Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT WEAR PADDED GLOVES"
3 × 11 = 33 (T) · 11 × 5 = 55 (E) · 10 × 6 = 60 (P) · 3 × 9 = 27 (G) · 11 × 1 = 11 (V) · 4 × 8 = 32 (N) · 12 × 7 = 84 (D) · 10 × 4 = 40 (R) · 10 × 5 = 50 (S) · 9 × 10 = 90 (L) · 5 × 7 = 35 (I) · 11 × 2 = 22 (O) · 10 × 11 = 110 (W) · 4 × 5 = 20 (A) · 6 × 9 = 54 (H)
Clue 2 (Two-step equations): "MUD PRINTS SHOW VILLAIN WAS LEFT FOOTED"
7x + 1 = 22, x = 3 (M) · 5x + 5 = 100, x = 19 (A) · 8x + 2 = 162, x = 20 (P) · 8x + 9 = 113, x = 13 (F) · 4x + 6 = 90, x = 21 (N) · 8x + 8 = 104, x = 12 (R) · 4x + 2 = 74, x = 18 (T) · 4x + 9 = 69, x = 15 (L) · 3x + 5 = 35, x = 10 (O) · 5x + 11 = 51, x = 8 (S) · 5x + 5 = 60, x = 11 (E) · 5x + 12 = 22, x = 2 (H) · 2x + 12 = 20, x = 4 (V) · 3x + 2 = 50, x = 16 (U) · 3x + 3 = 69, x = 22 (I) · 4x + 4 = 28, x = 6 (D) · 2x + 1 = 15, x = 7 (W)
Clue 3 (Exponents): "BRIGHT FLOODLIGHTS BLINDED THE SUSPECT"
17^2 = 289 (B) · 3^4 = 81 (D) · 3^6 = 729 (O) · 2^5 = 32 (U) · 21^2 = 441 (G) · 5^4 = 625 (E) · 15^2 = 225 (C) · 6^3 = 216 (F) · 5^2 = 25 (H) · 2^3 = 8 (I) · 2^7 = 128 (P) · 2^2 = 4 (T) · 18^2 = 324 (N) · 8^3 = 512 (S) · 11^2 = 121 (L) · 22^2 = 484 (R)
Clue 4 (Square roots): "CURLY AFRO HAIR WAS LEFT NEAR THE GOAL"
sqrt(576) = 24 (C) · sqrt(49) = 7 (T) · sqrt(529) = 23 (O) · sqrt(100) = 10 (W) · sqrt(225) = 15 (Y) · sqrt(625) = 25 (H) · sqrt(400) = 20 (G) · sqrt(169) = 13 (S) · sqrt(36) = 6 (E) · sqrt(361) = 19 (L) · sqrt(256) = 16 (I) · sqrt(64) = 8 (N) · sqrt(9) = 3 (R) · sqrt(441) = 21 (U) · sqrt(289) = 17 (A) · sqrt(484) = 22 (F)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 8) → Son Heung Min
6 ÷ 2 = 3 · 36 ÷ 6 = 6 · 121 ÷ 11 = 11 · 28 ÷ 7 = 4 · 100 ÷ 10 = 10 · 60 ÷ 5 = 12 · 10 ÷ 10 = 1 · 10 ÷ 2 = 5 · 70 ÷ 10 = 7 · 14 ÷ 7 = 2 · 90 ÷ 10 = 9

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 9 math
Math topics: Multiplication, Two-step equations, Exponents, Square roots, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Great Stadium Trophy Caper — set in Starlight Stadium
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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