🏴‍☠️ PiratesGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6Place valueMulti-step word problemsAdditionSubtractionDivision

The Mystery of the Salty Cove Saboteur

Someone tampered with the harbor lights at Salty Cove Haven! Use your math skills and clue clues to catch the pirate saboteur before their ship sails away with the town loot.

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	Primary Weapon	Ship Flag	Dominant Hand	Bandana Color	Fear
Christopher Myngs	Smoke Bomb	Golden Anchor	Left Handed	Red Bandana	Citrus Fruits
John Rackham	Smoke Bomb	Golden Anchor	Left Handed	Blue Bandana	Sea Monsters
Thomas Tew	Smoke Bomb	Kraken Crest	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Citrus Fruits
Charlotte de Berry	Belaying Pin	Crossed Swords	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters
Anne Bonny	Cutlass	Jolly Roger	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Citrus Fruits
Grace OMalley	Belaying Pin	Golden Anchor	Left Handed	Blue Bandana	Sea Monsters
Sadie the Goat	Belaying Pin	Kraken Crest	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters
Samuel Bellamy	Grappling Hook	Kraken Crest	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Citrus Fruits
William Kidd	Flintlock	Golden Anchor	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Loud Cannonballs
Cheung Po Tsai	Flintlock	Jolly Roger	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Loud Cannonballs
Calico Jack	Cutlass	Jolly Roger	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Sea Monsters
Stede Bonnet	Flintlock	Kraken Crest	Right Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters
Edward Teach	Smoke Bomb	Golden Anchor	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Sea Monsters
Edward England	Grappling Hook	Golden Anchor	Right Handed	Black Bandana	Loud Cannonballs
Woodes Rogers	Flintlock	Crossed Swords	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters
Francois lOlonnais	Cutlass	Jolly Roger	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters
Bartholomew Roberts	Grappling Hook	Golden Anchor	Right Handed	Red Bandana	Loud Cannonballs
Henry Morgan	Smoke Bomb	Crossed Swords	Right Handed	Blue Bandana	Loud Cannonballs
Howell Davis	Grappling Hook	Sea Serpent	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Loud Cannonballs
Ching Shih	Flintlock	Sea Serpent	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters
Mary Read	Grappling Hook	Sea Serpent	Left Handed	Black Bandana	Sea Monsters

Clue 1

Place value

Quartermaster Finch calculates total rations from multiple supply crates to figure out who visited the pantry before the robbery.

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

700

500

3000

5000

200

800

500

5000

800

700

9000

3000

1000

2000

800

500

200

7000

800

2000

200

What is the value of the 7 in 680,716?T

What is the value of the 2 in 162,554?R

What is the value of the 2 in 50,201?D

What is the value of the 3 in 52,834?V

What is the value of the 8 in 34,814?O

What is the value of the 4 in 33,647?S

What is the value of the 9 in 705,195?C

What is the value of the 8 in 957,082?H

What is the value of the 7 in 267,164?W

What is the value of the 5 in 375,712?N

What is the value of the 9 in 659,862?F

What is the value of the 5 in 860,507?E

What is the value of the 1 in 521,479?Y

What is the value of the 2 in 985,024?A

What is the value of the 6 in 915,264?I

What is the value of the 3 in 863,815?L

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Multi-step word problems

Navigator Mae reads the nautical logbook where place value positions reveal secret code digits on the map.

Solve each problem to learn its letter, then write the letters in the boxes to fill in the missing word.

Awitnesssawthevillainwas

There were 242 treasure chests in all. 4 pirate crew used 38 treasure chests each. The other 5 pirate crew shared the rest equally. How many treasure chests did each of the other pirate crew get?L

There were 123 cannonballs in all. 2 pirate crew used 33 cannonballs each. The other 3 pirate crew shared the rest equally. How many cannonballs did each of the other pirate crew get?A

Quartermaster collected 368 cannonballs in the morning and 46 cannonballs in the afternoon, then split them equally among 6 pirate crew. How many cannonballs did each get?F

Quartermaster earned 4 treasure chests in each of 3 rounds, plus 15 bonus treasure chests. Then 7 treasure chests were lost. How many treasure chests are left?T

There were 389 cannonballs in all. 39 cannonballs were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 7 pirate crew. How many cannonballs did each get?H

Quartermaster filled 2 boxes with 2 doubloons each, then found 83 more doubloons. How many doubloons are there in all?E

There were 173 doubloons in all. 37 doubloons were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 8 pirate crew. How many doubloons did each get?N

0/7 letters found

Clue 3

Addition

First Mate Barnaby counts up the extra doubloons dropped along the dock to trace the thief footsteps.

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

9533

7574

4416

4688

6212

5739

7336

9533

4416

2783

9581

6212

8943

5687

9581

7336

5057

4688

4416

6212

5057

7336

8943

4688

9533

4416

9581

4688

5249 + 4284 =T

3247 + 2440 =F

2933 + 2124 =M

2732 + 4842 =H

2336 + 5000 =O

5635 + 3946 =R

2039 + 2649 =S

1465 + 1318 =U

3142 + 2597 =B

4349 + 1863 =A

4635 + 4308 =N

2191 + 2225 =E

0/12 letters found

Clue 4

Subtraction

Gunner Pete subtracts damaged gunpowder kegs from the total armory inventory to spot the missing supplies.

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

5593

7923

4168

5920

3485

5593

4168

5866

6005

4168

5866

4168

6994

4168

5593

3005

5139

5920

8485

4168

5805

6887

5866

6310

1892

7798

6005

7798

5920

3485

8781 - 3188 =B

7902 - 4417 =K

8914 - 3775 =I

9536 - 1051 =W

8012 - 1702 =T

6398 - 478 =C

8421 - 2616 =S

7730 - 736 =F

4487 - 2595 =H

7223 - 1218 =D

7984 - 186 =E

7394 - 3226 =A

4647 - 1642 =R

6343 - 477 =N

11875 - 4988 =O

10849 - 2926 =L

0/16 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

Boatswain Tigg divides the salvaged rope bundles evenly among the rescue boats to find who left the extras behind.

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

42 ÷ 6 = ?

80 ÷ 8 = ?

60 ÷ 10 = ?

72 ÷ 8 = ?

60 ÷ 12 = ?

24 ÷ 2 = ?

33 ÷ 11 = ?

6 ÷ 3 = ?

40 ÷ 5 = ?

11 ÷ 1 = ?

8 ÷ 8 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain cast a sharp grappling hook, then snagged the Golden Anchor.

2.The villain dropped a thick smoke bomb, then revealed the Sea Serpent.

3.The villain swung a wooden belaying pin, then snagged the Golden Anchor.

4.The villain swung a wooden belaying pin, then unfurled the Kraken Crest.

5.The villain dropped a thick smoke bomb, then snagged the Golden Anchor.

6.The villain swung a heavy cutlass, then hoisted the Jolly Roger.

7.The villain fired a flintlock pistol, then revealed the Sea Serpent.

8.The villain dropped a thick smoke bomb, then raised the Crossed Swords.

9.The villain swung a wooden belaying pin, then revealed the Sea Serpent.

10.The villain cast a sharp grappling hook, then revealed the Sea Serpent.

11.The villain swung a heavy cutlass, then snagged the Golden Anchor.

12.The villain cast a sharp grappling hook, then unfurled the Kraken Crest.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Mystery of the Salty Cove Saboteur

Culprit: Sadie the Goat (Belaying Pin · Kraken Crest · Left Handed · Black Bandana · Sea Monsters)

Clue 1 (Place value): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT FLY CROSSED SWORDS"
What is the value of the 7 in 680,716? = 700 (T) · What is the value of the 2 in 162,554? = 2000 (R) · What is the value of the 2 in 50,201? = 200 (D) · What is the value of the 3 in 52,834? = 30 (V) · What is the value of the 8 in 34,814? = 800 (O) · What is the value of the 4 in 33,647? = 40 (S) · What is the value of the 9 in 705,195? = 90 (C) · What is the value of the 8 in 957,082? = 80 (H) · What is the value of the 7 in 267,164? = 7000 (W) · What is the value of the 5 in 375,712? = 5000 (N) · What is the value of the 9 in 659,862? = 9000 (F) · What is the value of the 5 in 860,507? = 500 (E) · What is the value of the 1 in 521,479? = 1000 (Y) · What is the value of the 2 in 985,024? = 20 (A) · What is the value of the 6 in 915,264? = 60 (I) · What is the value of the 3 in 863,815? = 3000 (L)
Clue 2 (Multi-step word problems): "LEFT HANDED"
There were 242 treasure chests in all. 4 pirate crew used 38 treasure chests each. The other 5 pirate crew shared the rest equally. How many treasure chests did each of the other pirate crew get? = 18 (L) · There were 123 cannonballs in all. 2 pirate crew used 33 cannonballs each. The other 3 pirate crew shared the rest equally. How many cannonballs did each of the other pirate crew get? = 19 (A) · Quartermaster collected 368 cannonballs in the morning and 46 cannonballs in the afternoon, then split them equally among 6 pirate crew. How many cannonballs did each get? = 69 (F) · Quartermaster earned 4 treasure chests in each of 3 rounds, plus 15 bonus treasure chests. Then 7 treasure chests were lost. How many treasure chests are left? = 20 (T) · There were 389 cannonballs in all. 39 cannonballs were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 7 pirate crew. How many cannonballs did each get? = 50 (H) · Quartermaster filled 2 boxes with 2 doubloons each, then found 83 more doubloons. How many doubloons are there in all? = 87 (E) · There were 173 doubloons in all. 37 doubloons were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 8 pirate crew. How many doubloons did each get? = 17 (N)
Clue 3 (Addition): "THE SABOTEUR RAN FROM SEA MONSTERS"
5249 + 4284 = 9533 (T) · 3247 + 2440 = 5687 (F) · 2933 + 2124 = 5057 (M) · 2732 + 4842 = 7574 (H) · 2336 + 5000 = 7336 (O) · 5635 + 3946 = 9581 (R) · 2039 + 2649 = 4688 (S) · 1465 + 1318 = 2783 (U) · 3142 + 2597 = 5739 (B) · 4349 + 1863 = 6212 (A) · 4635 + 4308 = 8943 (N) · 2191 + 2225 = 4416 (E)
Clue 4 (Subtraction): "BLACK BANDANA FABRIC WAS ON THE DECK"
8781 - 3188 = 5593 (B) · 7902 - 4417 = 3485 (K) · 8914 - 3775 = 5139 (I) · 9536 - 1051 = 8485 (W) · 8012 - 1702 = 6310 (T) · 6398 - 478 = 5920 (C) · 8421 - 2616 = 5805 (S) · 7730 - 736 = 6994 (F) · 4487 - 2595 = 1892 (H) · 7223 - 1218 = 6005 (D) · 7984 - 186 = 7798 (E) · 7394 - 3226 = 4168 (A) · 4647 - 1642 = 3005 (R) · 6343 - 477 = 5866 (N) · 11875 - 4988 = 6887 (O) · 10849 - 2926 = 7923 (L)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Sadie the Goat
42 ÷ 6 = 7 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 60 ÷ 10 = 6 · 72 ÷ 8 = 9 · 60 ÷ 12 = 5 · 24 ÷ 2 = 12 · 33 ÷ 11 = 3 · 6 ÷ 3 = 2 · 40 ÷ 5 = 8 · 11 ÷ 1 = 11 · 8 ÷ 8 = 1

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 5 math
Math topics: Place value, Multi-step word problems, Addition, Subtraction, Division
Reading level: grades 5-6
Theme: The Mystery of the Salty Cove Saboteur — set in Salty Cove Haven
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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