🏴☠️ PiratesGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4AdditionSubtractionMultiplicationPlace valueMissing addends
The Mystery of the Missing Compass
Someone has stolen the Sailing Master's magical sea map! Without it, our ship will get lost at sea. The crew is whispering, and everyone is a suspect. It is up to you to find the rogue pirate who took the map!
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 | Pirate Ship | Pirate Gear | Sword Hand | Bandana Color | Secret Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Eyed Willy | The Wave Slicer | Spyglass | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Gunpowder Gabe | The Wave Slicer | Map Tube | Right-Handed | Blue Bandana | Ticklish |
| Scurvy Sam | The Salty Sea Dog | Shoulder Parrot | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Ticklish |
| Salty Sue | The Sunken Skull | Golden Compass | Right-Handed | Red Bandana | Kelp Allergy |
| Anchor Andy | The Barnacle | Hook Hand | Left-Handed | Red Bandana | Kelp Allergy |
| Francis Drake | The Wave Slicer | Spyglass | Left-Handed | Blue Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Blackbeard | The Sunken Skull | Map Tube | Right-Handed | Blue Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Jolly Roger | The Salty Sea Dog | Hook Hand | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Kelp Allergy |
| Barnacle Bill | The Salty Sea Dog | Golden Compass | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Grace O Malley | The Jolly Barnaby | Map Tube | Right-Handed | Red Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Captain Hook | The Barnacle | Map Tube | Right-Handed | Red Bandana | Ticklish |
| Captain Charles | The Jolly Barnaby | Spyglass | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Captain Kidd | The Barnacle | Golden Compass | Left-Handed | Red Bandana | Kelp Allergy |
| Mary Read | The Jolly Barnaby | Hook Hand | Left-Handed | Blue Bandana | Ticklish |
| Long John Silver | The Sunken Skull | Map Tube | Left-Handed | Green Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Patchy | The Salty Sea Dog | Spyglass | Left-Handed | Green Bandana | Ticklish |
| Calico Jack | The Wave Slicer | Map Tube | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Redbeard | The Jolly Barnaby | Shoulder Parrot | Right-Handed | Green Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
| Pegleg Pete | The Barnacle | Map Tube | Left-Handed | Blue Bandana | Ticklish |
| Marooned Max | The Salty Sea Dog | Shoulder Parrot | Left-Handed | Blue Bandana | Kelp Allergy |
| Henry Morgan | The Barnacle | Golden Compass | Right-Handed | Blue Bandana | Scared of Frogs |
Clue 1
Addition
The crew is loading heavy crates of hardtack onto the deck. Let us add up all the crates in both piles to find our first 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.
T
804
291
701
746
767
396
396
900
767
635
279
969
701
499
635
969
T
804
212
499
701
900
592
969
396
279
701
635
896
969
598
393
900
499
499
356 + 448 =T
191 + 401 =G
190 + 309 =S
283 + 463 =V
140 + 72 =U
426 + 275 =E
261 + 135 =L
152 + 139 =H
140 + 139 =D
349 + 547 =C
593 + 307 =A
218 + 380 =M
238 + 155 =P
375 + 260 =N
635 + 334 =O
427 + 340 =I
0/16 letters found
Clue 2
Subtraction
A giant wave washed some fresh lemons straight off the deck. Subtract the lost fruit from the total to unlock the second 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.
T
237
705
495
102
846
606
705
T
237
705
702
497
324
495
324
496
787
495
447
724
773
497
606
496
102
787
849
T
237
705
495
102
846
606
606
846
497
606
617 - 380 =T
1027 - 325 =A
783 - 286 =N
848 - 61 =O
1120 - 271 =M
565 - 69 =F
772 - 166 =G
129 - 27 =R
856 - 151 =H
451 - 4 =S
478 - 154 =D
845 - 72 =U
828 - 333 =E
1030 - 306 =W
894 - 48 =I
0/15 letters found
Clue 3
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We found shiny gold coins lined up on the big wooden table. Multiplying the rows of gold by the columns gives us the next hint.
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
63
90
36
14
21
36
70
49
8
49
4
49
120
4
90
36
8
49
12
70
36
36
8
14
70
21
12
35
96
66
24
36
16
7 × 9 =T
1 × 8 =N
7 × 7 =A
12 × 10 =Y
7 × 2 =F
12 × 1 =G
4 × 4 =D
3 × 7 =O
12 × 8 =U
2 × 2 =W
8 × 3 =P
7 × 10 =R
10 × 9 =H
7 × 5 =J
6 × 11 =M
4 × 9 =E
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Place value
A secret message is written on the old sea map. Look at the digit in the tens place to decode the next hidden 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.
A
900
3000
9000
500
90
200
80
100
400
500
90
90
6000
300
2000
80
600
9000
30
A
900
3000
3000
600
20
300
50
600
80
600
9000
90
800
A
900
3000
600
What is the value of the 9 in 947?A
What is the value of the 3 in 1,371?C
What is the value of the 3 in 83,656?S
What is the value of the 5 in 520?R
What is the value of the 6 in 6,027?N
What is the value of the 5 in 651?K
What is the value of the 9 in 6,590?E
What is the value of the 8 in 855?M
What is the value of the 3 in 131?W
What is the value of the 9 in 9,044?H
What is the value of the 2 in 5,427?U
What is the value of the 4 in 469?G
What is the value of the 8 in 589?O
What is the value of the 1 in 194?F
What is the value of the 2 in 2,606?L
What is the value of the 6 in 605?T
What is the value of the 2 in 255?D
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Missing addends — the last clue
Our tool chest has slots for ten wooden pegs but some are missing. Work out how many pegs are gone to reveal the last 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
1 + ___ = 8
3 + ___ = 15
7 + ___ = 11
9 + ___ = 18
5 + ___ = 10
10 + ___ = 13
6 + ___ = 7
10 + ___ = 16
9 + ___ = 11
8 + ___ = 19
3 + ___ = 11
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain sailed away on the Barnacle, then fed cracker to their shoulder parrot.
2.The villain slipped away on the Sunken Skull, then fed cracker to their shoulder parrot.
3.The villain slipped away on the Sunken Skull, then checked their golden compass.
4.The villain escaped aboard the Jolly Barnaby, then dropped their shiny spyglass.
5.The villain sailed away on the Barnacle, then checked their golden compass.
6.The villain sped away on the Wave Slicer, then waved their sharp hook hand.
7.The villain escaped aboard the Jolly Barnaby, then fed cracker to their shoulder parrot.
8.The villain escaped aboard the Jolly Barnaby, then checked their golden compass.
9.The villain escaped aboard the Jolly Barnaby, then clutched their leather map tube.
10.The villain sped away on the Wave Slicer, then dropped their shiny spyglass.
11.The villain steered the Salty Sea Dog into the bay, then fed cracker to their shoulder parrot.
12.The villain sped away on the Wave Slicer, then clutched their leather map tube.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Mystery of the Missing Compass
Culprit: One Eyed Willy (The Wave Slicer · Spyglass · Right-Handed · Green Bandana · Scared of Frogs)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE A GOLDEN COMPASS"356 + 448 = 804 (T) · 191 + 401 = 592 (G) · 190 + 309 = 499 (S) · 283 + 463 = 746 (V) · 140 + 72 = 212 (U) · 426 + 275 = 701 (E) · 261 + 135 = 396 (L) · 152 + 139 = 291 (H) · 140 + 139 = 279 (D) · 349 + 547 = 896 (C) · 593 + 307 = 900 (A) · 218 + 380 = 598 (M) · 238 + 155 = 393 (P) · 375 + 260 = 635 (N) · 635 + 334 = 969 (O) · 427 + 340 = 767 (I)
- Clue 2 (Subtraction): "THE RIGHT HANDED FOE SWUNG FROM THE RIGGING"617 - 380 = 237 (T) · 1027 - 325 = 702 (A) · 783 - 286 = 497 (N) · 848 - 61 = 787 (O) · 1120 - 271 = 849 (M) · 565 - 69 = 496 (F) · 772 - 166 = 606 (G) · 129 - 27 = 102 (R) · 856 - 151 = 705 (H) · 451 - 4 = 447 (S) · 478 - 154 = 324 (D) · 845 - 72 = 773 (U) · 828 - 333 = 495 (E) · 1030 - 306 = 724 (W) · 894 - 48 = 846 (I)
- Clue 3 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE FOE RAN AWAY WHEN A GREEN FROG JUMPED"7 × 9 = 63 (T) · 1 × 8 = 8 (N) · 7 × 7 = 49 (A) · 12 × 10 = 120 (Y) · 7 × 2 = 14 (F) · 12 × 1 = 12 (G) · 4 × 4 = 16 (D) · 3 × 7 = 21 (O) · 12 × 8 = 96 (U) · 2 × 2 = 4 (W) · 8 × 3 = 24 (P) · 7 × 10 = 70 (R) · 10 × 9 = 90 (H) · 7 × 5 = 35 (J) · 6 × 11 = 66 (M) · 4 × 9 = 36 (E)
- Clue 4 (Place value): "A SHRED OF GREEN CLOTH WAS STUCK TO THE MAST"What is the value of the 9 in 947? = 900 (A) · What is the value of the 3 in 1,371? = 300 (C) · What is the value of the 3 in 83,656? = 3000 (S) · What is the value of the 5 in 520? = 500 (R) · What is the value of the 6 in 6,027? = 6000 (N) · What is the value of the 5 in 651? = 50 (K) · What is the value of the 9 in 6,590? = 90 (E) · What is the value of the 8 in 855? = 800 (M) · What is the value of the 3 in 131? = 30 (W) · What is the value of the 9 in 9,044? = 9000 (H) · What is the value of the 2 in 5,427? = 20 (U) · What is the value of the 4 in 469? = 400 (G) · What is the value of the 8 in 589? = 80 (O) · What is the value of the 1 in 194? = 100 (F) · What is the value of the 2 in 2,606? = 2000 (L) · What is the value of the 6 in 605? = 600 (T) · What is the value of the 2 in 255? = 200 (D)
- Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 10) → One Eyed Willy1 + ___ = 8 = 7 · 3 + ___ = 15 = 12 · 7 + ___ = 11 = 4 · 9 + ___ = 18 = 9 · 5 + ___ = 10 = 5 · 10 + ___ = 13 = 3 · 6 + ___ = 7 = 1 · 10 + ___ = 16 = 6 · 9 + ___ = 11 = 2 · 8 + ___ = 19 = 11 · 3 + ___ = 11 = 8
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Place value, Missing addends
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Mystery of the Missing Compass — set in The sunny docks of Cutlass Cove
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects