🔎 PyramidsGrade 3Reading: grades 3-4Place valueMultiplicationSubtractionAdditionDivision
The Secret of the Golden Obelisk
Someone broke into the Great Sun Pyramid and snatched the Golden Scarab Artifact! Dr. Aris needs your detective skills to analyze clues left in the tomb and find the suspect before they escape into the desert.
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 | Gear | Tomb Tool | Observational Tell | Scarf Color | Trap Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramses Ray | Bronze Chisel | Copper Key | Left Handed | Gold Scarf | Water Spray |
| Indiana Drake | Torch Lantern | Sun Amulet | Left Handed | Gold Scarf | Loud Drums |
| Amelia Peabody | Sand Goggles | Copper Key | Right Handed | Blue Scarf | Water Spray |
| Nile Ned | Sand Goggles | Clay Tablet | Right Handed | Blue Scarf | Loud Drums |
| Zahi Hawass | Sand Goggles | Sun Amulet | Right Handed | Gold Scarf | Loud Drums |
| Granite Gabe | Bronze Chisel | Silver Whistle | Left Handed | Red Scarf | Water Spray |
| Basalt Ben | Torch Lantern | Sun Amulet | Left Handed | Blue Scarf | Loud Drums |
| Stone Sam | Linen Rope | Silver Whistle | Left Handed | Blue Scarf | Water Spray |
| Relic Rita | Torch Lantern | Silver Whistle | Left Handed | Gold Scarf | Cobweb Trait |
| Papyri Pam | Brass Compass | Sun Amulet | Right Handed | Red Scarf | Cobweb Trait |
| Professor Penny | Linen Rope | Moon Charm | Right Handed | Blue Scarf | Cobweb Trait |
| Sphinx Sarah | Linen Rope | Copper Key | Right Handed | Red Scarf | Water Spray |
| Camel Carl | Linen Rope | Clay Tablet | Left Handed | Blue Scarf | Water Spray |
| Sands Sammy | Bronze Chisel | Silver Whistle | Left Handed | Gold Scarf | Loud Drums |
| Giza Gina | Torch Lantern | Sun Amulet | Left Handed | Gold Scarf | Water Spray |
| Cleopatra Cole | Torch Lantern | Moon Charm | Right Handed | Gold Scarf | Water Spray |
| Oasis Olivia | Bronze Chisel | Moon Charm | Left Handed | Blue Scarf | Water Spray |
| Cobra Clara | Brass Compass | Copper Key | Left Handed | Blue Scarf | Water Spray |
| Howard Carter | Sand Goggles | Sun Amulet | Left Handed | Red Scarf | Loud Drums |
| Explorer Jack | Sand Goggles | Silver Whistle | Left Handed | Blue Scarf | Water Spray |
| Desert Daisy | Linen Rope | Copper Key | Left Handed | Gold Scarf | Loud Drums |
Clue 1
Place value
Dr. Aris found a chamber code written on stone tablets where digits represented thousands and hundreds.
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
2000
40
900
600
90
200
200
9000
90
800
1000
400
900
7000
800
400
T
2000
500
9000
100
100
50
9000
4000
400
400
800
500
40
9000
100
4000
What is the value of the 2 in 52,165?T
What is the value of the 5 in 956?Y
What is the value of the 7 in 87,564?S
What is the value of the 1 in 31,603?D
What is the value of the 2 in 278?L
What is the value of the 4 in 4,289?M
What is the value of the 9 in 390?I
What is the value of the 4 in 1,470?O
What is the value of the 5 in 544?C
What is the value of the 4 in 9,142?H
What is the value of the 1 in 182?R
What is the value of the 8 in 872?N
What is the value of the 9 in 8,906?E
What is the value of the 6 in 3,692?V
What is the value of the 9 in 9,804?A
0/15 letters found
Clue 2
Multiplication facts (1-12)
The expedition team unpacked equal rows of supply crates found along the pyramid hallway.
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
108
3
120
132
44
132
33
120
84
T
108
44
132
120
16
121
120
24
T
108
3
10
49
16
T
108
1
1
33
120
49
16
1
1
45
9 × 12 =T
3 × 8 =F
3 × 11 =P
11 × 11 =L
1 × 1 =O
9 × 5 =R
3 × 1 =H
7 × 7 =N
10 × 1 =A
12 × 11 =S
2 × 8 =D
11 × 4 =U
12 × 7 =C
12 × 10 =E
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Subtraction
The detective checked how many water canteens remained after a long morning of digging.
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
516
264
408
407
492
629
608
408
407
608
622
851
624
408
608
435
264
408
770
435
492
T
516
408
407
248
320
407
492
194
408
608
672
622
T
516
518 - 2 =T
990 - 368 =U
866 - 242 =K
898 - 47 =C
885 - 277 =D
640 - 392 =S
803 - 311 =A
806 - 398 =E
510 - 316 =Y
993 - 223 =N
313 - 49 =H
777 - 342 =W
711 - 391 =P
826 - 154 =O
590 - 183 =R
657 - 28 =I
0/16 letters found
Clue 4
Addition
The assistants combined total numbers of papyrus scrolls discovered across three different burial vaults.
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
858
754
870
761
900
844
523
A
858
924
311
624
A
858
844
311
936
761
583
875
403
583
355
320
900
355
936
364
754
875
761
844
355
305 + 553 =A
231 + 124 =T
456 + 468 =R
364 + 536 =E
359 + 164 =C
583 + 353 =O
532 + 338 =L
138 + 226 =M
305 + 278 =N
406 + 438 =S
400 + 354 =B
121 + 282 =I
129 + 182 =F
467 + 408 =D
449 + 312 =U
213 + 411 =W
214 + 106 =H
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
The camp leader shared total rations equally among all the excavation workers.
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
36 ÷ 4 = ?
12 ÷ 4 = ?
80 ÷ 8 = ?
6 ÷ 6 = ?
10 ÷ 2 = ?
32 ÷ 4 = ?
20 ÷ 10 = ?
18 ÷ 3 = ?
33 ÷ 3 = ?
132 ÷ 11 = ?
70 ÷ 10 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain chipped stone with a bronze chisel, then snatched the sun amulet.
2.The villain scaled the wall with linen rope, then grabbed the moon charm.
3.The villain checked a brass compass, then stole the copper key.
4.The villain scaled the wall with linen rope, then swiped the silver whistle.
5.The villain checked a brass compass, then grabbed the moon charm.
6.The villain chipped stone with a bronze chisel, then stole the copper key.
7.The villain shined a torch lantern, then snatched the sun amulet.
8.The villain checked a brass compass, then snatched the sun amulet.
9.The villain wiped dust off sand goggles, then swiped the silver whistle.
10.The villain scaled the wall with linen rope, then pocketed the clay tablet.
11.The villain chipped stone with a bronze chisel, then swiped the silver whistle.
12.The villain checked a brass compass, then pocketed the clay tablet.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Secret of the Golden Obelisk
Culprit: Stone Sam (Linen Rope · Silver Whistle · Left Handed · Blue Scarf · Water Spray)
- Clue 1 (Place value): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT CARRY A MOON CHARM"What is the value of the 2 in 52,165? = 2000 (T) · What is the value of the 5 in 956? = 50 (Y) · What is the value of the 7 in 87,564? = 7000 (S) · What is the value of the 1 in 31,603? = 1000 (D) · What is the value of the 2 in 278? = 200 (L) · What is the value of the 4 in 4,289? = 4000 (M) · What is the value of the 9 in 390? = 90 (I) · What is the value of the 4 in 1,470? = 400 (O) · What is the value of the 5 in 544? = 500 (C) · What is the value of the 4 in 9,142? = 40 (H) · What is the value of the 1 in 182? = 100 (R) · What is the value of the 8 in 872? = 800 (N) · What is the value of the 9 in 8,906? = 900 (E) · What is the value of the 6 in 3,692? = 600 (V) · What is the value of the 9 in 9,804? = 9000 (A)
- Clue 2 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE SUSPECT USED LEFT HAND TO OPEN DOOR"9 × 12 = 108 (T) · 3 × 8 = 24 (F) · 3 × 11 = 33 (P) · 11 × 11 = 121 (L) · 1 × 1 = 1 (O) · 9 × 5 = 45 (R) · 3 × 1 = 3 (H) · 7 × 7 = 49 (N) · 10 × 1 = 10 (A) · 12 × 11 = 132 (S) · 2 × 8 = 16 (D) · 11 × 4 = 44 (U) · 12 × 7 = 84 (C) · 12 × 10 = 120 (E)
- Clue 3 (Subtraction): "THE RAIDER DUCKED WHEN WATER SPRAYED OUT"518 - 2 = 516 (T) · 990 - 368 = 622 (U) · 866 - 242 = 624 (K) · 898 - 47 = 851 (C) · 885 - 277 = 608 (D) · 640 - 392 = 248 (S) · 803 - 311 = 492 (A) · 806 - 398 = 408 (E) · 510 - 316 = 194 (Y) · 993 - 223 = 770 (N) · 313 - 49 = 264 (H) · 777 - 342 = 435 (W) · 711 - 391 = 320 (P) · 826 - 154 = 672 (O) · 590 - 183 = 407 (R) · 657 - 28 = 629 (I)
- Clue 4 (Addition): "A BLUE SCARF WAS FOUND IN THE TOMB DUST"305 + 553 = 858 (A) · 231 + 124 = 355 (T) · 456 + 468 = 924 (R) · 364 + 536 = 900 (E) · 359 + 164 = 523 (C) · 583 + 353 = 936 (O) · 532 + 338 = 870 (L) · 138 + 226 = 364 (M) · 305 + 278 = 583 (N) · 406 + 438 = 844 (S) · 400 + 354 = 754 (B) · 121 + 282 = 403 (I) · 129 + 182 = 311 (F) · 467 + 408 = 875 (D) · 449 + 312 = 761 (U) · 213 + 411 = 624 (W) · 214 + 106 = 320 (H)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 4) → Stone Sam36 ÷ 4 = 9 · 12 ÷ 4 = 3 · 80 ÷ 8 = 10 · 6 ÷ 6 = 1 · 10 ÷ 2 = 5 · 32 ÷ 4 = 8 · 20 ÷ 10 = 2 · 18 ÷ 3 = 6 · 33 ÷ 3 = 11 · 132 ÷ 11 = 12 · 70 ÷ 10 = 7
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 3 math
- Math topics
- Place value, Multiplication, Subtraction, Addition, Division
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Secret of the Golden Obelisk — set in The Valley of the Sun Pyramids
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects