🔎 HalloweenGrade 5Reading: grades 3-4AdditionSubtractionFractions of a numberOrder of operationsDivision

The Midnight Pumpkin Caper

Someone sabotaged the giant glowing jack o lantern right before the carnival parade! The Head Ghost Carver needs your detective skills to track down the Pumpkin Prowler before midnight.

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	Trick Power	Spooky Gear	Dominant Hand	Wig Color	Fear Trait
Eerie Oliver	Shadow Dash	Spooky Howl	Right Handed	Green Wig	Bright Flashlight
Rita Raven	Candy Swarm	Web Trap	Left Handed	Orange Wig	Silver Whistle
Casper Stone	Shadow Dash	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Garlic Spray
Sammy Shadow	Shadow Dash	Ghost Fog	Right Handed	Orange Wig	Silver Whistle
Jack Lantern	Glow Shock	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Bright Flashlight
Frankie Stein	Pumpkin Blast	Ghost Fog	Right Handed	Green Wig	Silver Whistle
Luna Dark	Glow Shock	Ghost Fog	Left Handed	Purple Wig	Silver Whistle
Draco Bat	Bat Summon	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Green Wig	Garlic Spray
Bram Stoker	Candy Swarm	Spooky Howl	Left Handed	Green Wig	Garlic Spray
Otto Owl	Shadow Dash	Web Trap	Right Handed	Green Wig	Bright Flashlight
Gideon Ghost	Pumpkin Blast	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Silver Whistle
Toby Treat	Pumpkin Blast	Web Trap	Left Handed	Green Wig	Silver Whistle
Wendy Witch	Shadow Dash	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Orange Wig	Bright Flashlight
Hazel Hex	Pumpkin Blast	Ghost Fog	Right Handed	Orange Wig	Silver Whistle
Vera Vamp	Candy Swarm	Potion Splash	Right Handed	Orange Wig	Garlic Spray
Boris Bones	Bat Summon	Web Trap	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Bright Flashlight
Sally Shade	Glow Shock	Spooky Howl	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Silver Whistle
Peter Phantom	Bat Summon	Web Trap	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Silver Whistle
Pip Pumpkin	Glow Shock	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Silver Whistle
Gwen Goblin	Candy Swarm	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Green Wig	Silver Whistle
Gomez Grave	Candy Swarm	Cobweb Shield	Right Handed	Purple Wig	Silver Whistle

Clue 1

Addition

You tally up all the glowing jack o lanterns along the path to unlock the first puzzle box.

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

6178

7612

5616

4394

8235

2629

6245

8235

6472

4237

9142

5616

9853

6472

9142

6178

7535

9853

5616

6245

8652

5616

3126

6178

2858

6245

2367

3413 + 2765 =T

1158 + 1471 =L

1951 + 2286 =D

5368 + 3774 =O

2528 + 1866 =V

3059 + 3413 =N

2949 + 4663 =H

1258 + 1600 =R

3577 + 2039 =E

2490 + 5045 =U

2117 + 1009 =B

4527 + 4125 =W

1622 + 745 =P

4352 + 1893 =A

6420 + 3433 =S

5256 + 2979 =I

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Subtraction

You calculate how many trick or treat bags are left after the parade to find the missing 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.

4887

5338

1368

4208

2775

1102

4879

5138

2775

5859

4208

6254

4208

4879

1368

1210

4887

1039

5053

4208

5402

5138

5859

5338

4887

5338

5053

2775

7533

1368

7533

7950 - 3063 =T

2064 - 696 =E

8709 - 4501 =S

9519 - 3660 =G

8908 - 3506 =R

1858 - 756 =O

6118 - 780 =H

5223 - 85 =I

5759 - 4549 =C

6200 - 1147 =A

3458 - 683 =N

1558 - 519 =W

8588 - 1055 =D

8094 - 1840 =U

6680 - 1801 =P

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Fractions of a number

You work out what fraction of the cauldron potions have turned bright purple.

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

1/4 of 56 =T

7/8 of 40 =I

4/8 of 74 =E

4/10 of 40 =V

2/10 of 40 =C

5/10 of 14 =W

2/10 of 190 =K

2/8 of 156 =N

1/6 of 138 =H

1/5 of 55 =L

1/10 of 100 =R

3/4 of 48 =S

1/10 of 190 =F

1/6 of 90 =A

0/14 letters found

Clue 4

Order of operations

You follow the step by step sequence on the carnival scoreboard to decode the secret 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.

14 + 5 × 4 =D

10 × 8 - 3 =U

11 + 3 × 4 =R

19 + 6 × 5 =O

10 × 9 - 22 =L

7 × 3 - 1 =G

7 × 10 - 18 =C

7 × 10 - 19 =S

5 + 4 × 3 =V

48 + 3 × 3 =T

5 × 10 - 26 =F

10 × 8 - 1 =A

7 + 6 × 2 =W

24 + 4 × 5 =P

11 × 6 - 16 =N

48 + 3 × 7 =I

12 × 5 - 6 =E

0/17 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

You split the spooky prize tokens evenly among the game booths to reveal the last witness.

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

12 ÷ 2 = ?

55 ÷ 11 = ?

144 ÷ 12 = ?

99 ÷ 11 = ?

70 ÷ 7 = ?

12 ÷ 4 = ?

8 ÷ 2 = ?

72 ÷ 9 = ?

84 ÷ 12 = ?

3 ÷ 3 = ?

66 ÷ 6 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain sent a candy swarm, then made a potion splash.

2.The villain shot a pumpkin blast, then raised a cobweb shield.

3.The villain shot a pumpkin blast, then made a potion splash.

4.The villain shot a pumpkin blast, then set a web trap.

5.The villain sent a candy swarm, then raised a cobweb shield.

6.The villain fired a glow shock, then let out a spooky howl.

7.The villain used shadow dash, then set a web trap.

8.The villain used shadow dash, then spread ghost fog.

9.The villain used shadow dash, then let out a spooky howl.

10.The villain fired a glow shock, then made a potion splash.

11.The villain called a bat summon, then set a web trap.

12.The villain fired a glow shock, then raised a cobweb shield.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Midnight Pumpkin Caper

Culprit: Gideon Ghost (Pumpkin Blast · Cobweb Shield · Right Handed · Purple Wig · Silver Whistle)

Clue 1 (Addition): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE A WEB TRAP"
3413 + 2765 = 6178 (T) · 1158 + 1471 = 2629 (L) · 1951 + 2286 = 4237 (D) · 5368 + 3774 = 9142 (O) · 2528 + 1866 = 4394 (V) · 3059 + 3413 = 6472 (N) · 2949 + 4663 = 7612 (H) · 1258 + 1600 = 2858 (R) · 3577 + 2039 = 5616 (E) · 2490 + 5045 = 7535 (U) · 2117 + 1009 = 3126 (B) · 4527 + 4125 = 8652 (W) · 1622 + 745 = 2367 (P) · 4352 + 1893 = 6245 (A) · 6420 + 3433 = 9853 (S) · 5256 + 2979 = 8235 (I)
Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE SNOOPING SUSPECT WAS RIGHT HANDED"
7950 - 3063 = 4887 (T) · 2064 - 696 = 1368 (E) · 8709 - 4501 = 4208 (S) · 9519 - 3660 = 5859 (G) · 8908 - 3506 = 5402 (R) · 1858 - 756 = 1102 (O) · 6118 - 780 = 5338 (H) · 5223 - 85 = 5138 (I) · 5759 - 4549 = 1210 (C) · 6200 - 1147 = 5053 (A) · 3458 - 683 = 2775 (N) · 1558 - 519 = 1039 (W) · 8588 - 1055 = 7533 (D) · 8094 - 1840 = 6254 (U) · 6680 - 1801 = 4879 (P)
Clue 3 (Fractions of a number): "THE SNACK THIEF FEARS A SILVER WHISTLE"
1/4 of 56 = 14 (T) · 7/8 of 40 = 35 (I) · 4/8 of 74 = 37 (E) · 4/10 of 40 = 16 (V) · 2/10 of 40 = 8 (C) · 5/10 of 14 = 7 (W) · 2/10 of 190 = 38 (K) · 2/8 of 156 = 39 (N) · 1/6 of 138 = 23 (H) · 1/5 of 55 = 11 (L) · 1/10 of 100 = 10 (R) · 3/4 of 48 = 36 (S) · 1/10 of 190 = 19 (F) · 1/6 of 90 = 15 (A)
Clue 4 (Order of operations): "DETECTIVES FOUND A STRAND OF PURPLE WIG"
14 + 5 × 4 = 34 (D) · 10 × 8 - 3 = 77 (U) · 11 + 3 × 4 = 23 (R) · 19 + 6 × 5 = 49 (O) · 10 × 9 - 22 = 68 (L) · 7 × 3 - 1 = 20 (G) · 7 × 10 - 18 = 52 (C) · 7 × 10 - 19 = 51 (S) · 5 + 4 × 3 = 17 (V) · 48 + 3 × 3 = 57 (T) · 5 × 10 - 26 = 24 (F) · 10 × 8 - 1 = 79 (A) · 7 + 6 × 2 = 19 (W) · 24 + 4 × 5 = 44 (P) · 11 × 6 - 16 = 50 (N) · 48 + 3 × 7 = 69 (I) · 12 × 5 - 6 = 54 (E)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 2) → Gideon Ghost
12 ÷ 2 = 6 · 55 ÷ 11 = 5 · 144 ÷ 12 = 12 · 99 ÷ 11 = 9 · 70 ÷ 7 = 10 · 12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 8 ÷ 2 = 4 · 72 ÷ 9 = 8 · 84 ÷ 12 = 7 · 3 ÷ 3 = 1 · 66 ÷ 6 = 11

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Addition, Subtraction, Fractions of a number, Order of operations, Division
Reading level: grades 3-4
Theme: The Midnight Pumpkin Caper — set in Spooky Hollow Carnival
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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