🚀 Cats, SpaceGrade 6Reading: grades 7-9AdditionMultiplicationWord problemsMulti-step word problemsDivision

The Orbital Catnip Heist

A cunning feline rogue has infiltrated Starlight Station Alpha, causing chaos in zero gravity. Decipher security logs to identify the culprit before they escape into deep space.

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 Gadget	Space Gear	Glove Hand	Fur Accent	Distraction Item
Milo Comet	Plasma Claw	Solar Shield	Right Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Vacuum Cleaner Noise
Leo Nebula	Jetpack Harness	Tether Cable	Right Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Shiny Foil Ball
Luna Astro	Gravity Boots	Solar Shield	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Vacuum Cleaner Noise
Daisy Supernova	Plasma Claw	Tether Cable	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Shiny Foil Ball
Archie Quasar	Gravity Boots	Magnetic Boots	Right Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Ziggy Galaxy	Gravity Boots	Tether Cable	Right Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Shiny Foil Ball
Otis Eclipse	Jetpack Harness	Solar Shield	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Stella Paw	Gravity Boots	Tether Cable	Left Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Squeaky Mouse
Oliver Starlight	Laser Pointer Array	Magnetic Boots	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Bella Polaris	Jetpack Harness	Magnetic Boots	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Commander Mittens	Gravity Boots	Oxygen Helmet	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Rosie Rigel	Gravity Boots	Oxygen Helmet	Left Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Squeaky Mouse
Jasper Cosmos	Laser Pointer Array	Thruster Pack	Right Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Pepper Vega	Laser Pointer Array	Tether Cable	Right Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Shiny Foil Ball
Felicia Orion	Laser Pointer Array	Oxygen Helmet	Left Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Squeaky Mouse
Willow Solaria	Plasma Claw	Tether Cable	Right Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Squeaky Mouse
Felix Zenith	Gravity Boots	Thruster Pack	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Squeaky Mouse
Cosmo Purr	Gravity Boots	Tether Cable	Left Paw Glove	Midnight Black	Squeaky Mouse
Cleo Pulsar	Gravity Boots	Tether Cable	Left Paw Glove	Calico Patch	Vacuum Cleaner Noise
Penny Orbit	Plasma Claw	Thruster Pack	Right Paw Glove	Midnight Black	Vacuum Cleaner Noise
Bruno Meteor	Jetpack Harness	Oxygen Helmet	Right Paw Glove	Tabby Stripe	Squeaky Mouse

Clue 1

Addition

To access the first encrypted security file, tally the total weight of recovered cargo pods across airlocks.

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

6507

6522

8468

9389

5458

4674

8885

5458

9504

8989

4821

8468

3506

9504

4821

6507

9252

3506

8468

8885

9504

4821

3593

4281

7526

8468

9504

6522

8468

4674

4469

8468

6507

3392 + 3115 =T

4401 + 4484 =A

3057 + 1764 =O

3977 + 3549 =G

2515 + 2159 =L

1436 + 3033 =M

4961 + 4291 =U

2520 + 4002 =H

2349 + 1157 =S

2757 + 2701 =I

4580 + 4809 =V

5533 + 3456 =D

2823 + 1458 =Y

5243 + 3225 =E

5186 + 4318 =N

1864 + 1729 =X

0/16 letters found

Clue 2

Multiplication facts (1-12)

The power grid logs show energy spikes across solar array sections; multiply the readings to unseal the next node.

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

100

4 × 11 =T

3 × 7 =C

5 × 10 =W

7 × 2 =U

9 × 5 =R

10 × 8 =V

8 × 3 =G

1 × 11 =S

2 × 11 =F

11 × 5 =H

11 × 6 =A

6 × 1 =L

10 × 10 =P

11 × 8 =O

3 × 4 =E

0/15 letters found

Clue 3

Word problems

The station inventory logs present a supply riddle about catnip canisters; solve it to clear up the sensor noise.

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

Someonescaredthevillainoffwith

118

106

There were 55 catnip canisters. 8 were used up. How many catnip canisters are left?S

There were 106 scratching posts. 30 were used up. How many scratching posts are left?A

There were 112 catnip canisters. 6 were used up. How many catnip canisters are left?U

There were 53 scratching posts. 18 were used up. How many scratching posts are left?E

Astro-Vet found 15 space helmets yesterday and 63 more today. How many space helmets in all?K

There were 150 space helmets. 32 were used up. How many space helmets are left?Q

There were 65 freeze dried treats. 34 were used up. How many freeze dried treats are left?Y

0/7 letters found

Clue 4

Multi-step word problems

Calculating pursuit trajectories requires multi-step accounting for thruster fuel burn and station rotation.

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

Astrandof

hairturnedupatthescene.

Astro-Vet filled 7 boxes with 6 space helmets each, then found 29 more space helmets. How many space helmets are there in all?C

Astro-Vet earned 5 scratching posts in each of 6 rounds, plus 24 bonus scratching posts. Then 5 scratching posts were lost. How many scratching posts are left?O

Astro-Vet earned 8 scratching posts in each of 3 rounds, plus 8 bonus scratching posts. Then 11 scratching posts were lost. How many scratching posts are left?P

There were 141 laser toys in all. 3 Space Cadets used 15 laser toys each. The other 6 Space Cadets shared the rest equally. How many laser toys did each of the other Space Cadets get?I

There were 391 catnip canisters in all. 1 Space Cadets used 26 catnip canisters each. The other 5 Space Cadets shared the rest equally. How many catnip canisters did each of the other Space Cadets get?T

Astro-Vet earned 3 freeze dried treats in each of 6 rounds, plus 7 bonus freeze dried treats. Then 8 freeze dried treats were lost. How many freeze dried treats are left?L

There were 56 catnip canisters in all. 24 catnip canisters were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 4 Space Cadets. How many catnip canisters did each get?A

0/7 letters found

Clue 5

Division facts (1-12) — the last clue

Divide the telemetry frequencies evenly across the radio towers to decrypt the final transmission fragment.

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

30 ÷ 5 = ?

21 ÷ 3 = ?

32 ÷ 8 = ?

33 ÷ 3 = ?

60 ÷ 6 = ?

9 ÷ 3 = ?

25 ÷ 5 = ?

8 ÷ 8 = ?

24 ÷ 2 = ?

12 ÷ 6 = ?

9 ÷ 1 = ?

Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer

1.The villain engaged the stealth cloak, then vented pressure near the oxygen helmet.

2.The villain ignited the jetpack harness, then hooked the hatch with a tether cable.

3.The villain ignited the jetpack harness, then zipped away using a thruster pack.

4.The villain activated gravity boots, then zipped away using a thruster pack.

5.The villain slashed with the plasma claw, then hooked the hatch with a tether cable.

6.The villain fired the laser pointer array, then clamped down with magnetic boots.

7.The villain ignited the jetpack harness, then clamped down with magnetic boots.

8.The villain ignited the jetpack harness, then deflected sensor scans with a solar shield.

9.The villain engaged the stealth cloak, then hooked the hatch with a tether cable.

10.The villain slashed with the plasma claw, then zipped away using a thruster pack.

11.The villain activated gravity boots, then clamped down with magnetic boots.

12.The villain fired the laser pointer array, then vented pressure near the oxygen helmet.

Solve it

Name the culprit

Choose the one suspect left standing.

Answer Key — The Orbital Catnip Heist

Culprit: Otis Eclipse (Jetpack Harness · Solar Shield · Left Paw Glove · Calico Patch · Squeaky Mouse)

Clue 1 (Addition): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE AN OXYGEN HELMET"
3392 + 3115 = 6507 (T) · 4401 + 4484 = 8885 (A) · 3057 + 1764 = 4821 (O) · 3977 + 3549 = 7526 (G) · 2515 + 2159 = 4674 (L) · 1436 + 3033 = 4469 (M) · 4961 + 4291 = 9252 (U) · 2520 + 4002 = 6522 (H) · 2349 + 1157 = 3506 (S) · 2757 + 2701 = 5458 (I) · 4580 + 4809 = 9389 (V) · 5533 + 3456 = 8989 (D) · 2823 + 1458 = 4281 (Y) · 5243 + 3225 = 8468 (E) · 5186 + 4318 = 9504 (N) · 1864 + 1729 = 3593 (X)
Clue 2 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE SUSPECT WEARS A LEFT PAW GLOVE"
4 × 11 = 44 (T) · 3 × 7 = 21 (C) · 5 × 10 = 50 (W) · 7 × 2 = 14 (U) · 9 × 5 = 45 (R) · 10 × 8 = 80 (V) · 8 × 3 = 24 (G) · 1 × 11 = 11 (S) · 2 × 11 = 22 (F) · 11 × 5 = 55 (H) · 11 × 6 = 66 (A) · 6 × 1 = 6 (L) · 10 × 10 = 100 (P) · 11 × 8 = 88 (O) · 3 × 4 = 12 (E)
Clue 3 (Word problems): "SQUEAKY MOUSE"
There were 55 catnip canisters. 8 were used up. How many catnip canisters are left? = 47 (S) · There were 106 scratching posts. 30 were used up. How many scratching posts are left? = 76 (A) · There were 112 catnip canisters. 6 were used up. How many catnip canisters are left? = 106 (U) · There were 53 scratching posts. 18 were used up. How many scratching posts are left? = 35 (E) · Astro-Vet found 15 space helmets yesterday and 63 more today. How many space helmets in all? = 78 (K) · There were 150 space helmets. 32 were used up. How many space helmets are left? = 118 (Q) · There were 65 freeze dried treats. 34 were used up. How many freeze dried treats are left? = 31 (Y)
Clue 4 (Multi-step word problems): "CALICO PATCH"
Astro-Vet filled 7 boxes with 6 space helmets each, then found 29 more space helmets. How many space helmets are there in all? = 71 (C) · Astro-Vet earned 5 scratching posts in each of 6 rounds, plus 24 bonus scratching posts. Then 5 scratching posts were lost. How many scratching posts are left? = 49 (O) · Astro-Vet earned 8 scratching posts in each of 3 rounds, plus 8 bonus scratching posts. Then 11 scratching posts were lost. How many scratching posts are left? = 21 (P) · There were 141 laser toys in all. 3 Space Cadets used 15 laser toys each. The other 6 Space Cadets shared the rest equally. How many laser toys did each of the other Space Cadets get? = 16 (I) · There were 391 catnip canisters in all. 1 Space Cadets used 26 catnip canisters each. The other 5 Space Cadets shared the rest equally. How many catnip canisters did each of the other Space Cadets get? = 73 (T) · Astro-Vet earned 3 freeze dried treats in each of 6 rounds, plus 7 bonus freeze dried treats. Then 8 freeze dried treats were lost. How many freeze dried treats are left? = 17 (L) · There were 56 catnip canisters in all. 24 catnip canisters were set aside. The rest were shared equally among 4 Space Cadets. How many catnip canisters did each get? = 8 (A)
Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 8) → Otis Eclipse
30 ÷ 5 = 6 · 21 ÷ 3 = 7 · 32 ÷ 8 = 4 · 33 ÷ 3 = 11 · 60 ÷ 6 = 10 · 9 ÷ 3 = 3 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 8 ÷ 8 = 1 · 24 ÷ 2 = 12 · 12 ÷ 6 = 2 · 9 ÷ 1 = 9

About this mystery

Grade level: Grade 6 math
Math topics: Addition, Multiplication, Word problems, Multi-step word problems, Division
Reading level: grades 7-9
Theme: The Orbital Catnip Heist — set in Starlight Orbital Station Alpha
Format: Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
Solution: One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects

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