🔎 The tu144 vs the concordeGrade 5Reading: grades 5-6AdditionMultiplicationPlace valueRoundingDivision
The Supersonic Showdown Sabotage
During the high-stakes supersonic aviation trial between rival delta-wing crews, a mysterious saboteur locked the chief flight director inside the telemetry vault and scrambled the official test logs! Detective, solve the math clues to uncover the culprit before takeoff.
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 Jet | Avionics Device | Pilot Habit | Helmet Color | System Flaw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guy Dabert | Stratosphere Star | Canard Controller | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Hydraulic Failure |
| Alan Smith | Concorde Prototype | Flight Recorder | Left Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Charles Bigot | Sonic Arrow | Flight Recorder | Left Handed Switch | Flame Red | Engine Stall |
| Nikolai Voronov | Sonic Arrow | Canard Controller | Left Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Engine Stall |
| Yuri Gorbatko | Tu-144 Charger | Canard Controller | Left Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Hydraulic Failure |
| John Cochrane | Tu-144 Charger | Afterburner Dial | Left Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Hydraulic Failure |
| Vasily Romanov | Concorde Prototype | Afterburner Dial | Right Handed Switch | Silver Metallic | Fuel Leak |
| Eduard Yelyan | Aero Delta One | Telemetry Deck | Right Handed Switch | Silver Metallic | Engine Stall |
| Sergei Petrov | Sonic Arrow | Telemetry Deck | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Hydraulic Failure |
| Peter Baker | Tu-144 Charger | Flight Recorder | Left Handed Switch | Silver Metallic | Hydraulic Failure |
| Viktor Benderov | Aero Delta One | Flight Recorder | Right Handed Switch | Flame Red | Fuel Leak |
| Brian Trubshaw | Aero Delta One | Telemetry Deck | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Mikhail Kozlov | Sonic Arrow | Canard Controller | Left Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Gordon Corfield | Concorde Prototype | Radar Scope | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Engine Stall |
| Henri Perrier | Concorde Prototype | Flight Recorder | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Engine Stall |
| Oleg Smirnov | Tu-144 Charger | Flight Recorder | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Valery Popov | Concorde Prototype | Flight Recorder | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Roy Radford | Aero Delta One | Flight Recorder | Left Handed Switch | Silver Metallic | Engine Stall |
| Alexei Morozov | Concorde Prototype | Canard Controller | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Andre Turcat | Stratosphere Star | Telemetry Deck | Right Handed Switch | Midnight Black | Fuel Leak |
| Boris Kuzmin | Aero Delta One | Afterburner Dial | Left Handed Switch | Flame Red | Engine Stall |
Clue 1
Addition
You tally up the recovered logbook pages left behind in the hangar to expose the first suspect detail.
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
9722
5341
2059
6346
4004
6037
2690
T
9722
2059
8315
7904
3225
2690
2059
6346
3990
2690
T
9722
8315
6346
2059
3290
4004
3990
4004
7904
3225
3290
2690
3990
T
9722
7904
2690
6718
6718
2059
7904
4960 + 4762 =T
2503 + 4215 =L
4032 + 4283 =U
1915 + 1375 =C
4157 + 2189 =S
4018 + 3886 =R
2216 + 3821 =B
2171 + 1819 =N
1261 + 1429 =O
3451 + 1890 =H
1485 + 1740 =D
629 + 1430 =E
2211 + 1793 =A
0/13 letters found
Clue 2
Multiplication facts (1-12)
By calculating total engine output across multiple turbine rows, you decode 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.
W
20
70
15
80
55
48
48
48
42
W
20
120
70
110
56
15
56
42
80
3
55
3
48
W
20
70
15
99
56
72
48
42
110
55
4 × 5 =W
12 × 10 =R
9 × 8 =U
1 × 3 =D
3 × 5 =T
11 × 9 =C
7 × 8 =H
10 × 11 =G
10 × 7 =I
11 × 5 =E
8 × 10 =N
7 × 6 =A
4 × 12 =S
0/13 letters found
Clue 3
Place value
Examining the place value of the digits flashing on the altitude gauge reveals the third piece of evidence.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
V
100
80
9000
8000
1000
2000
60
30
9000
1000
900
5000
4000
80
1000
9000
9000
1000
60
70
3000
2000
5000
30
9000
1000
700
800
What is the value of the 1 in 289,154?V
What is the value of the 8 in 911,189?U
What is the value of the 5 in 325,918?O
What is the value of the 9 in 89,667?L
What is the value of the 8 in 17,859?S
What is the value of the 9 in 38,936?T
What is the value of the 3 in 20,134?B
What is the value of the 2 in 832,086?R
What is the value of the 4 in 84,656?F
What is the value of the 7 in 58,712?M
What is the value of the 1 in 51,529?E
What is the value of the 8 in 768,266?N
What is the value of the 6 in 50,869?A
What is the value of the 3 in 83,250?P
What is the value of the 7 in 42,879?K
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Rounding
The radar unit rounds distance values to the nearest hundred, pinpointing the fourth 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.
H
430
370
200
290
370
2000
1700
5000
200
5000
70
1300
20
2300
290
30
9000
170
30
500
H
430
2000
2900
200
20
1700
4300
Round 428 to the nearest tenH
Round 522 to the nearest hundredG
Round 1,727 to the nearest hundredC
Round 1,983 to the nearest thousandT
Round 70 to the nearest tenR
Round 34 to the nearest tenI
Round 9,076 to the nearest thousandD
Round 4,258 to the nearest hundredK
Round 155 to the nearest hundredL
Round 2,873 to the nearest hundredB
Round 24 to the nearest tenA
Round 2,252 to the nearest hundredS
Round 288 to the nearest tenM
Round 374 to the nearest tenE
Round 1,283 to the nearest hundredW
Round 169 to the nearest tenN
Round 5,441 to the nearest thousandO
0/17 letters found
Clue 5
Division facts (1-12) — the last clue
Dividing the ground crew diagnostic tasks evenly among technicians uncovers the final 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
56 ÷ 8 = ?
108 ÷ 12 = ?
80 ÷ 10 = ?
24 ÷ 12 = ?
110 ÷ 10 = ?
3 ÷ 3 = ?
4 ÷ 1 = ?
66 ÷ 11 = ?
48 ÷ 4 = ?
25 ÷ 5 = ?
40 ÷ 4 = ?
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain commanded the Stratosphere Star, then tampered with the radar scope.
2.The villain piloted the Tu-144 Charger, then hacked the telemetry deck.
3.The villain piloted the Tu-144 Charger, then stole the flight recorder.
4.The villain commanded the Stratosphere Star, then swapped the canard controller.
5.The villain hijacked the Concorde Prototype, then hacked the telemetry deck.
6.The villain flew the Sonic Arrow, then disabled the afterburner dial.
7.The villain hijacked the Concorde Prototype, then stole the flight recorder.
8.The villain commanded the Stratosphere Star, then hacked the telemetry deck.
9.The villain steered the Aero Delta One, then hacked the telemetry deck.
10.The villain steered the Aero Delta One, then stole the flight recorder.
11.The villain piloted the Tu-144 Charger, then disabled the afterburner dial.
12.The villain commanded the Stratosphere Star, then stole the flight recorder.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Supersonic Showdown Sabotage
Culprit: Oleg Smirnov (Tu-144 Charger · Flight Recorder · Right Handed Switch · Midnight Black · Fuel Leak)
- Clue 1 (Addition): "THE SABOTEUR DOES NOT USE CANARD CONTROLLER"4960 + 4762 = 9722 (T) · 2503 + 4215 = 6718 (L) · 4032 + 4283 = 8315 (U) · 1915 + 1375 = 3290 (C) · 4157 + 2189 = 6346 (S) · 4018 + 3886 = 7904 (R) · 2216 + 3821 = 6037 (B) · 2171 + 1819 = 3990 (N) · 1261 + 1429 = 2690 (O) · 3451 + 1890 = 5341 (H) · 1485 + 1740 = 3225 (D) · 629 + 1430 = 2059 (E) · 2211 + 1793 = 4004 (A)
- Clue 2 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "WITNESS SAW RIGHT HANDED SWITCH USAGE"4 × 5 = 20 (W) · 12 × 10 = 120 (R) · 9 × 8 = 72 (U) · 1 × 3 = 3 (D) · 3 × 5 = 15 (T) · 11 × 9 = 99 (C) · 7 × 8 = 56 (H) · 10 × 11 = 110 (G) · 10 × 7 = 70 (I) · 11 × 5 = 55 (E) · 8 × 10 = 80 (N) · 7 × 6 = 42 (A) · 4 × 12 = 48 (S)
- Clue 3 (Place value): "VULNERABLE TO FUEL LEAK PROBLEMS"What is the value of the 1 in 289,154? = 100 (V) · What is the value of the 8 in 911,189? = 80 (U) · What is the value of the 5 in 325,918? = 5000 (O) · What is the value of the 9 in 89,667? = 9000 (L) · What is the value of the 8 in 17,859? = 800 (S) · What is the value of the 9 in 38,936? = 900 (T) · What is the value of the 3 in 20,134? = 30 (B) · What is the value of the 2 in 832,086? = 2000 (R) · What is the value of the 4 in 84,656? = 4000 (F) · What is the value of the 7 in 58,712? = 700 (M) · What is the value of the 1 in 51,529? = 1000 (E) · What is the value of the 8 in 768,266? = 8000 (N) · What is the value of the 6 in 50,869? = 60 (A) · What is the value of the 3 in 83,250? = 3000 (P) · What is the value of the 7 in 42,879? = 70 (K)
- Clue 4 (Rounding): "HELMET COLOR WAS MIDNIGHT BLACK"Round 428 to the nearest ten = 430 (H) · Round 522 to the nearest hundred = 500 (G) · Round 1,727 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (C) · Round 1,983 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (T) · Round 70 to the nearest ten = 70 (R) · Round 34 to the nearest ten = 30 (I) · Round 9,076 to the nearest thousand = 9000 (D) · Round 4,258 to the nearest hundred = 4300 (K) · Round 155 to the nearest hundred = 200 (L) · Round 2,873 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (B) · Round 24 to the nearest ten = 20 (A) · Round 2,252 to the nearest hundred = 2300 (S) · Round 288 to the nearest ten = 290 (M) · Round 374 to the nearest ten = 370 (E) · Round 1,283 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (W) · Round 169 to the nearest ten = 170 (N) · Round 5,441 to the nearest thousand = 5000 (O)
- Clue 5 (Division facts (1-12)): surviving statement (box 3) → Oleg Smirnov56 ÷ 8 = 7 · 108 ÷ 12 = 9 · 80 ÷ 10 = 8 · 24 ÷ 12 = 2 · 110 ÷ 10 = 11 · 3 ÷ 3 = 1 · 4 ÷ 1 = 4 · 66 ÷ 11 = 6 · 48 ÷ 4 = 12 · 25 ÷ 5 = 5 · 40 ÷ 4 = 10
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Addition, Multiplication, Place value, Rounding, Division
- Reading level
- grades 5-6
- Theme
- The Supersonic Showdown Sabotage — set in Le Bourget Airfield Flight Deck, 1973
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects