🐴 HorsesGrade 6Reading: grades 7-9Fractions of a numberWord problemsBar modelsMulti-step word problems
The Mystery of Silverwood Stables
Just before the annual Grand Invitational, someone tampered with the equipment at Silverwood Equestrian Center, mixing up saddles, gates, and grooming gear. The Head Groom needs your deduction skills to analyze the evidence, solve the clues, and unmask the culprit before competition begins.
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 | Discipline | Horse Breed | Rein Grip | Strand Color | Distraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elena Rostova | Show Jumping | Thoroughbred | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Gemma Cross | Endurance | Thoroughbred | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Owen Kendrick | Endurance | Warmblood | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Marcus Vance | Show Jumping | Quarter Horse | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Sienna Brooks | Cross Country | Thoroughbred | Left Handed | Chestnut Strand | Water Splash |
| Chloe Bennett | Show Jumping | Warmblood | Right Handed | Palomino Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Toby Hayes | Endurance | Arabian | Left Handed | Chestnut Strand | Shiny Ribbon |
| Devon Reed | Show Jumping | Mustang | Right Handed | Chestnut Strand | Water Splash |
| Lucas Vance | Show Jumping | Quarter Horse | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Shiny Ribbon |
| Audrey Paige | Dressage | Mustang | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Julian Thorne | Endurance | Quarter Horse | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Shiny Ribbon |
| Zoe Callahan | Reining | Thoroughbred | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Tess Montgomery | Dressage | Arabian | Left Handed | Chestnut Strand | Shiny Ribbon |
| Wyatt Cooper | Endurance | Arabian | Right Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Mason Drake | Show Jumping | Mustang | Left Handed | Chestnut Strand | Water Splash |
| Gavin Mercer | Endurance | Arabian | Left Handed | Palomino Strand | Water Splash |
| Piper Finch | Reining | Arabian | Right Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Harper Lee | Cross Country | Arabian | Left Handed | Bay Strand | Water Splash |
| Dante Silva | Dressage | Arabian | Right Handed | Chestnut Strand | Shiny Ribbon |
| Nora Wilder | Reining | Mustang | Left Handed | Chestnut Strand | Loud Whistle |
| Liam Sterling | Show Jumping | Quarter Horse | Left Handed | Palomino Strand | Loud Whistle |
Clue 1
Fractions of a number
The head groom found a ledger listing misplaced gear across several stalls, requiring careful multi step tallying to pinpoint the suspect.
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
40
25
30
8
9
27
39
T
40
30
12
18
17
6
17
4
39
T
40
18
6
17
30
9
11
9
18
29
27
35
39
39
17
1/2 of 80 =T
7/10 of 50 =L
1/10 of 80 =S
5/10 of 34 =D
3/8 of 16 =I
2/8 of 72 =R
1/5 of 20 =N
1/3 of 117 =O
3/8 of 80 =E
5/6 of 30 =H
1/4 of 36 =A
1/5 of 145 =M
3/4 of 36 =B
2/10 of 60 =U
2/4 of 22 =W
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Word problems
Stable records reveal strange discrepancies in daily feed distribution that point directly toward one rider.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Awitnesssawthevillainwas .
L
57
74
56
71
80
6
20
D
74
D
Stable hand found 18 riding boots yesterday and 39 more today. How many riding boots in all?L
Stable hand lined up 3 rows of 2 saddles. How many saddles in all?A
There were 81 saddles. 7 were used up. How many saddles are left?E
Stable hand lined up 5 rows of 4 paddock buckets. How many paddock buckets in all?N
There were 99 paddock buckets. 28 were used up. How many paddock buckets are left?T
There were 88 riding boots. 8 were used up. How many riding boots are left?H
Stable hand found 7 bags of oats yesterday and 49 more today. How many bags of oats in all?F
0/7 letters found
Clue 3
Bar model word problems
To compare the training hours logged by each suspect, the detective sketched a bar model visualization.
Draw a bar model to solve each word problem. Its answer reveals a letter — write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Someonescaredthevillainoffwith .
W
100
126
46
38
45
87
55
L
126
87
H
Stable hand has 10 times as many riding boots as a teammate. The teammate has 10 riding boots. How many riding boots does stable hand have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→W
One group collected 97 grooming brushes and another group collected 29 grooming brushes. How many grooming brushes in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→A
Stable hand shares 174 saddles equally among 2 teams. How many saddles does each team get?
draw a bar model
Answer:→S
Stable hand used 3/5 of the paddock buckets on the first day. The other 22 paddock buckets were used the next day. How many paddock buckets were there in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→P
Stable hand has 5 times as many bags of oats as a teammate. The teammate has 9 bags of oats. How many bags of oats does stable hand have?
draw a bar model
Answer:→R
Stable hand used 1/2 of the paddock buckets on the first day. The other 19 paddock buckets were used the next day. How many paddock buckets were there in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→E
Stable hand used 1/2 of the paddock buckets on the first day. The other 23 paddock buckets were used the next day. How many paddock buckets were there in all?
draw a bar model
Answer:→T
0/7 letters found
Clue 4
Multi-step word problems
Examining the total grain supply consumed overnight, the detective calculated precise fractional amounts taken from each bin.
Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.
Astrandof hairturnedupatthescene.
B
80
60
67
47
37
40
60
24
D
Stable hand earned 4 riding boots in each of 2 rounds, plus 82 bonus riding boots. Then 10 riding boots were lost. How many riding boots are left?B
Stable hand earned 8 paddock buckets in each of 4 rounds, plus 39 bonus paddock buckets. Then 11 paddock buckets were lost. How many paddock buckets are left?A
Stable hand earned 6 saddles in each of 2 rounds, plus 36 bonus saddles. Then 11 saddles were lost. How many saddles are left?T
There were 275 paddock buckets in all. 1 equestrian squad used 40 paddock buckets each. The other 5 equestrian squad shared the rest equally. How many paddock buckets did each of the other equestrian squad get?S
Stable hand collected 90 bags of oats in the morning and 178 bags of oats in the afternoon, then split them equally among 4 equestrian squad. How many bags of oats did each get?Y
There were 204 grooming brushes in all. 4 equestrian squad used 39 grooming brushes each. The other 2 equestrian squad shared the rest equally. How many grooming brushes did each of the other equestrian squad get?N
There were 136 saddles in all. 1 equestrian squad used 16 saddles each. The other 3 equestrian squad shared the rest equally. How many saddles did each of the other equestrian squad get?R
0/7 letters found
Clue 5
Fractions of a number — the last clue
By calculating fractional portions of missing leather reins from the storage locker, the final clue fell into place.
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
4/5 of 10 = ?
3/6 of 18 = ?
2/8 of 48 = ?
2/4 of 10 = ?
1/8 of 56 = ?
1/8 of 88 = ?
2/8 of 40 = ?
4/10 of 10 = ?
1/8 of 48 = ?
5/10 of 2 = ?
5/10 of 6 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain unlatched the jumping arena gates, then borrowed an arabian headstall.
2.The villain unlatched the jumping arena gates, then borrowed a thoroughbred saddle pad.
3.The villain scuffed the reining pattern dirt, then borrowed an arabian headstall.
4.The villain tangled the cross country ropes, then borrowed a thoroughbred saddle pad.
5.The villain tangled the cross country ropes, then borrowed a warmblood polo wrap.
6.The villain scuffed the reining pattern dirt, then borrowed a quarter horse girth.
7.The villain swapped the practice dressage markers, then borrowed a mustang halter.
8.The villain tangled the cross country ropes, then borrowed an arabian headstall.
9.The villain unlatched the jumping arena gates, then borrowed a quarter horse girth.
10.The villain hid the endurance water buckets, then borrowed an arabian headstall.
11.The villain hid the endurance water buckets, then borrowed a mustang halter.
12.The villain scuffed the reining pattern dirt, then borrowed a thoroughbred saddle pad.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of Silverwood Stables
Culprit: Elena Rostova (Show Jumping · Thoroughbred · Left Handed · Bay Strand · Water Splash)
- Clue 1 (Fractions of a number): "THE SABOTEUR DID NOT RIDE A WARMBLOOD"1/2 of 80 = 40 (T) · 7/10 of 50 = 35 (L) · 1/10 of 80 = 8 (S) · 5/10 of 34 = 17 (D) · 3/8 of 16 = 6 (I) · 2/8 of 72 = 18 (R) · 1/5 of 20 = 4 (N) · 1/3 of 117 = 39 (O) · 3/8 of 80 = 30 (E) · 5/6 of 30 = 25 (H) · 1/4 of 36 = 9 (A) · 1/5 of 145 = 29 (M) · 3/4 of 36 = 27 (B) · 2/10 of 60 = 12 (U) · 2/4 of 22 = 11 (W)
- Clue 2 (Word problems): "LEFT HANDED"Stable hand found 18 riding boots yesterday and 39 more today. How many riding boots in all? = 57 (L) · Stable hand lined up 3 rows of 2 saddles. How many saddles in all? = 6 (A) · There were 81 saddles. 7 were used up. How many saddles are left? = 74 (E) · Stable hand lined up 5 rows of 4 paddock buckets. How many paddock buckets in all? = 20 (N) · There were 99 paddock buckets. 28 were used up. How many paddock buckets are left? = 71 (T) · There were 88 riding boots. 8 were used up. How many riding boots are left? = 80 (H) · Stable hand found 7 bags of oats yesterday and 49 more today. How many bags of oats in all? = 56 (F)
- Clue 3 (Bar model word problems): "WATER SPLASH"Stable hand has 10 times as many riding boots as a teammate. The teammate has 10 riding boots. How many riding boots does stable hand have? = 100 (W) · One group collected 97 grooming brushes and another group collected 29 grooming brushes. How many grooming brushes in all? = 126 (A) · Stable hand shares 174 saddles equally among 2 teams. How many saddles does each team get? = 87 (S) · Stable hand used 3/5 of the paddock buckets on the first day. The other 22 paddock buckets were used the next day. How many paddock buckets were there in all? = 55 (P) · Stable hand has 5 times as many bags of oats as a teammate. The teammate has 9 bags of oats. How many bags of oats does stable hand have? = 45 (R) · Stable hand used 1/2 of the paddock buckets on the first day. The other 19 paddock buckets were used the next day. How many paddock buckets were there in all? = 38 (E) · Stable hand used 1/2 of the paddock buckets on the first day. The other 23 paddock buckets were used the next day. How many paddock buckets were there in all? = 46 (T)
- Clue 4 (Multi-step word problems): "BAY STRAND"Stable hand earned 4 riding boots in each of 2 rounds, plus 82 bonus riding boots. Then 10 riding boots were lost. How many riding boots are left? = 80 (B) · Stable hand earned 8 paddock buckets in each of 4 rounds, plus 39 bonus paddock buckets. Then 11 paddock buckets were lost. How many paddock buckets are left? = 60 (A) · Stable hand earned 6 saddles in each of 2 rounds, plus 36 bonus saddles. Then 11 saddles were lost. How many saddles are left? = 37 (T) · There were 275 paddock buckets in all. 1 equestrian squad used 40 paddock buckets each. The other 5 equestrian squad shared the rest equally. How many paddock buckets did each of the other equestrian squad get? = 47 (S) · Stable hand collected 90 bags of oats in the morning and 178 bags of oats in the afternoon, then split them equally among 4 equestrian squad. How many bags of oats did each get? = 67 (Y) · There were 204 grooming brushes in all. 4 equestrian squad used 39 grooming brushes each. The other 2 equestrian squad shared the rest equally. How many grooming brushes did each of the other equestrian squad get? = 24 (N) · There were 136 saddles in all. 1 equestrian squad used 16 saddles each. The other 3 equestrian squad shared the rest equally. How many saddles did each of the other equestrian squad get? = 40 (R)
- Clue 5 (Fractions of a number): surviving statement (box 2) → Elena Rostova4/5 of 10 = 8 · 3/6 of 18 = 9 · 2/8 of 48 = 12 · 2/4 of 10 = 5 · 1/8 of 56 = 7 · 1/8 of 88 = 11 · 2/8 of 40 = 10 · 4/10 of 10 = 4 · 1/8 of 48 = 6 · 5/10 of 2 = 1 · 5/10 of 6 = 3
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 6 math
- Math topics
- Fractions of a number, Word problems, Bar models, Multi-step word problems
- Reading level
- grades 7-9
- Theme
- The Mystery of Silverwood Stables — set in Silverwood Equestrian Center
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects