🔎 Dark humor inappropriate namGrade 10Reading: grades 7-9Pythagorean theoremSquare rootsExponentsOrder of operations
The Mystery of Dead End Manor
The spooky annual dinner at Dead End Manor was going great until someone swiped the legendary Golden Urn! The suspect list is packed with unusual guests who have curiously morbid names and eerie powers.
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 trick | secret talent | handprint evidence | hair color | major phobia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dusty Shovel | ghost summoning | soup poisoning | had bare hands | toxic green | loud music |
| Ella Vator | shadow melting | mist weaving | had bare hands | toxic green | loud music |
| Manny Bones | clock stopping | soup poisoning | wore thick gloves | toxic green | loud music |
| Hal E Tosis | wall walking | lock freezing | had bare hands | toxic green | bright flashlights |
| Luke Warm | sound muffling | mist weaving | had bare hands | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Justin Case | wall walking | bat calling | wore thick gloves | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Maura Bid | shadow melting | lock freezing | wore thick gloves | midnight black | bright flashlights |
| Barb Dwyer | sound muffling | mist weaving | had bare hands | cobweb gray | garlic spray |
| Dee Cay | shadow melting | bone rattling | had bare hands | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Robin Banks | sound muffling | lock freezing | had bare hands | midnight black | loud music |
| Artie Choke | sound muffling | bat calling | had bare hands | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Faye Tal | ghost summoning | bone rattling | had bare hands | toxic green | garlic spray |
| Paige Turner | clock stopping | soup poisoning | had bare hands | midnight black | loud music |
| Barry M Deep | clock stopping | bat calling | had bare hands | toxic green | garlic spray |
| Doug Grave | wall walking | bone rattling | wore thick gloves | midnight black | loud music |
| Sam Phibian | wall walking | bone rattling | wore thick gloves | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Anita Coffin | sound muffling | bat calling | wore thick gloves | cobweb gray | garlic spray |
| Tim Ber | clock stopping | mist weaving | had bare hands | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Terry Fy | clock stopping | lock freezing | had bare hands | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Rusty Cage | sound muffling | lock freezing | wore thick gloves | cobweb gray | bright flashlights |
| Al B Back | wall walking | soup poisoning | wore thick gloves | toxic green | loud music |
Clue 1
Pythagorean theorem
To trace the thief's escape path across the hall, our detective calculates the diagonal shortcut across the floor using the handy Pythagorean theorem.
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
5
34
26
39
125
37
37
75
125
25
50
58
26
100
25
58
T
5
34
75
39
26
123
75
T
5
17
75
37
37
125
25
15
legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse =T
legs 28 and 96, hypotenuse =S
legs 40 and 42, hypotenuse =O
legs 14 and 48, hypotenuse =D
legs 27 and 120, hypotenuse =B
legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse =V
legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse =G
legs 12 and 35, hypotenuse =L
legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse =H
legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse =A
legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse =I
legs 7 and 24, hypotenuse =N
legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse =E
legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse =C
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Square roots
The detective finds a square grid of shattered floor tiles near the display case. Finding the square root of the total broken tiles reveals the suspect's secret gate number.
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
6
5
T
9
6
21
5
2
23
5
2
T
9
22
16
11
25
13
5
22
18
21
T
9
6
12
24
10
5
6
24
14
25
22
sqrt(81) =T
sqrt(100) =R
sqrt(324) =W
sqrt(196) =N
sqrt(4) =F
sqrt(529) =L
sqrt(576) =A
sqrt(121) =U
sqrt(625) =D
sqrt(484) =S
sqrt(441) =I
sqrt(256) =M
sqrt(144) =B
sqrt(169) =G
sqrt(36) =H
sqrt(25) =E
0/16 letters found
Clue 3
Exponents
The security system locks down using an exponential password lock. To view the camera logs, we must calculate the power of the lock's base number.
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
81
400
9
343
36
8
8
128
36
225
216
128
225
512
216
484
49
16
216
36
144
400
T
81
512
8
128
196
400
8
36
144
400
T
81
196
3^4 =T
15^2 =N
6^2 =I
14^2 =S
20^2 =H
12^2 =G
22^2 =O
3^2 =E
2^3 =L
2^7 =A
7^3 =V
7^2 =M
2^9 =F
6^3 =R
2^4 =B
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Order of operations
A torn note shows a chaotic sequence of steps left by the thief. Using the correct order of operations reveals the precise time the thief sneaked past the guards.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
C
58
19
28
9
120
28
95
23
55
15
49
74
23
55
18
85
49
C
58
32
82
18
95
74
19
74
35
120
9
55
32
32
52 + 3 × 2 =C
5 × 11 - 6 =S
13 + 3 × 2 =O
64 + 5 × 2 =T
1 + 2 × 7 =Y
11 × 9 - 17 =U
23 + 3 × 3 =L
49 + 4 × 9 =D
11 + 6 × 4 =H
11 × 11 - 1 =E
5 × 9 - 22 =R
9 × 4 - 8 =B
1 + 4 × 2 =W
39 + 7 × 8 =G
5 × 7 - 17 =N
8 × 7 - 1 =A
0/16 letters found
Clue 5
Square roots — the last clue
The thief's muddy footprints are arranged in a large square block on the rug. Calculating the square root of the total footprints reveals the size of their boots.
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
sqrt(25) = ?
sqrt(36) = ?
sqrt(100) = ?
sqrt(121) = ?
sqrt(1) = ?
sqrt(64) = ?
sqrt(81) = ?
sqrt(9) = ?
sqrt(4) = ?
sqrt(16) = ?
sqrt(49) = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain summoned a wall of howling spirits, then called down a swarm of screeching bats.
2.The villain froze the grand grandfather clock solid, then slipped a sleeping potion into the pumpkin soup.
3.The villain slithered through the cold floor shadows, then spun a thick freezing mist around the room.
4.The villain froze the grand grandfather clock solid, then rattled a pile of display skeleton bones.
5.The villain slithered through the cold floor shadows, then rattled a pile of display skeleton bones.
6.The villain silenced the entire banquet hall, then spun a thick freezing mist around the room.
7.The villain drifted straight through the solid stone walls, then slipped a sleeping potion into the pumpkin soup.
8.The villain silenced the entire banquet hall, then rattled a pile of display skeleton bones.
9.The villain summoned a wall of howling spirits, then rattled a pile of display skeleton bones.
10.The villain froze the grand grandfather clock solid, then spun a thick freezing mist around the room.
11.The villain slithered through the cold floor shadows, then slipped a sleeping potion into the pumpkin soup.
12.The villain froze the grand grandfather clock solid, then iced over the brass locks on the display case.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of Dead End Manor
Culprit: Terry Fy (clock stopping · lock freezing · had bare hands · cobweb gray · bright flashlights)
- Clue 1 (Pythagorean theorem): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT HAVE BAT CALLING"legs 3 and 4, hypotenuse = 5 (T) · legs 28 and 96, hypotenuse = 100 (S) · legs 40 and 42, hypotenuse = 58 (O) · legs 14 and 48, hypotenuse = 50 (D) · legs 27 and 120, hypotenuse = 123 (B) · legs 15 and 36, hypotenuse = 39 (V) · legs 9 and 12, hypotenuse = 15 (G) · legs 12 and 35, hypotenuse = 37 (L) · legs 16 and 30, hypotenuse = 34 (H) · legs 21 and 72, hypotenuse = 75 (A) · legs 35 and 120, hypotenuse = 125 (I) · legs 7 and 24, hypotenuse = 25 (N) · legs 10 and 24, hypotenuse = 26 (E) · legs 8 and 15, hypotenuse = 17 (C)
- Clue 2 (Square roots): "THE THIEF LEFT SMUDGES WITH BARE HANDS"sqrt(81) = 9 (T) · sqrt(100) = 10 (R) · sqrt(324) = 18 (W) · sqrt(196) = 14 (N) · sqrt(4) = 2 (F) · sqrt(529) = 23 (L) · sqrt(576) = 24 (A) · sqrt(121) = 11 (U) · sqrt(625) = 25 (D) · sqrt(484) = 22 (S) · sqrt(441) = 21 (I) · sqrt(256) = 16 (M) · sqrt(144) = 12 (B) · sqrt(169) = 13 (G) · sqrt(36) = 6 (H) · sqrt(25) = 5 (E)
- Clue 3 (Exponents): "THE VILLAIN RAN FROM BRIGHT FLASHLIGHTS"3^4 = 81 (T) · 15^2 = 225 (N) · 6^2 = 36 (I) · 14^2 = 196 (S) · 20^2 = 400 (H) · 12^2 = 144 (G) · 22^2 = 484 (O) · 3^2 = 9 (E) · 2^3 = 8 (L) · 2^7 = 128 (A) · 7^3 = 343 (V) · 7^2 = 49 (M) · 2^9 = 512 (F) · 6^3 = 216 (R) · 2^4 = 16 (B)
- Clue 4 (Order of operations): "COBWEB GRAY STRANDS CLUNG TO THE WALL"52 + 3 × 2 = 58 (C) · 5 × 11 - 6 = 49 (S) · 13 + 3 × 2 = 19 (O) · 64 + 5 × 2 = 74 (T) · 1 + 2 × 7 = 15 (Y) · 11 × 9 - 17 = 82 (U) · 23 + 3 × 3 = 32 (L) · 49 + 4 × 9 = 85 (D) · 11 + 6 × 4 = 35 (H) · 11 × 11 - 1 = 120 (E) · 5 × 9 - 22 = 23 (R) · 9 × 4 - 8 = 28 (B) · 1 + 4 × 2 = 9 (W) · 39 + 7 × 8 = 95 (G) · 5 × 7 - 17 = 18 (N) · 8 × 7 - 1 = 55 (A)
- Clue 5 (Square roots): surviving statement (box 12) → Terry Fysqrt(25) = 5 · sqrt(36) = 6 · sqrt(100) = 10 · sqrt(121) = 11 · sqrt(1) = 1 · sqrt(64) = 8 · sqrt(81) = 9 · sqrt(9) = 3 · sqrt(4) = 2 · sqrt(16) = 4 · sqrt(49) = 7
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 10 math
- Math topics
- Pythagorean theorem, Square roots, Exponents, Order of operations
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- The Mystery of Dead End Manor — set in Dead End Manor
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects