🔎 Stranger ThingsGrade 5Reading: grades 3-4MultiplicationFractions of a numberOrder of operationsRoundingMissing addends
The Upside Outbreak
A strange portal opened near the old arcade! A mystery villain interrupted the town radio broadcast and took the chief AV director into the shadow realm. Examine the clues to find the villain.
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 | Main Relic | Psi Ability | Grip Style | Hair Style | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Munson | Cassette Player | Portal Drift | Right Handed | Curly Shag | Loud Synth Beats |
| Barbara Holland | Ham Radio | Mind Blast | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Jonathan Byers | Ham Radio | Mind Blast | Right Handed | Curly Shag | Bright Flares |
| Dustin Henderson | Ham Radio | Telekinesis | Left Handed | Curly Shag | Loud Synth Beats |
| Argyle Jones | Ham Radio | Portal Drift | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Erica Sinclair | Cassette Player | Time Reversal | Left Handed | Curly Shag | Bright Flares |
| Vickie Dunne | Cassette Player | Telekinesis | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Lucas Sinclair | Ham Radio | Shadow Camo | Left Handed | Buzz Cut | Bright Flares |
| Will Byers | Plasma Lantern | Shadow Camo | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Loud Synth Beats |
| Suzie Bingham | Plasma Lantern | Mind Blast | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Mike Wheeler | Plasma Lantern | Telekinesis | Left Handed | Curly Shag | Bright Flares |
| Robin Buckley | Ham Radio | Telekinesis | Left Handed | Curly Shag | Bright Flares |
| Max Mayfield | Ham Radio | Shadow Camo | Left Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Karen Wheeler | Walkie Tracker | Portal Drift | Right Handed | Curly Shag | Bright Flares |
| Nancy Wheeler | Plasma Lantern | Shadow Camo | Right Handed | Buzz Cut | Bright Flares |
| Chrissy Cunningham | Super Slingshot | Mind Blast | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Salty Waffles |
| Murray Bauman | Ham Radio | Telekinesis | Left Handed | Spiky Mullet | Salty Waffles |
| Joyce Byers | Plasma Lantern | Portal Drift | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Eleven Hopper | Plasma Lantern | Shadow Camo | Left Handed | Curly Shag | Bright Flares |
| Sam Owens | Ham Radio | Shadow Camo | Right Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
| Jim Hopper | Plasma Lantern | Shadow Camo | Left Handed | Spiky Mullet | Bright Flares |
Clue 1
Multiplication facts (1-12)
We counted the boxes of batteries stacked in equal rows across the dark lab store room.
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
33
27
49
2
15
11
11
40
15
8
48
110
49
14
8
110
T
33
81
14
49
90
15
8
48
144
11
40
14
T
33
3 × 11 =T
4 × 2 =N
12 × 12 =B
5 × 3 =I
2 × 1 =V
4 × 12 =D
9 × 9 =U
3 × 9 =H
10 × 11 =O
2 × 7 =S
1 × 11 =L
7 × 7 =E
4 × 10 =A
10 × 9 =M
0/14 letters found
Clue 2
Fractions of a number
Only a fraction of the radio towers still had power to transmit our signal.
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
12
38
9
31
4
4
T
12
30
10
39
26
T
12
8
8
38
4
25
6
10
39
21
38
T
12
38
6
26
18
9
18
8
25
39
26
21
1/4 of 48 =T
1/3 of 24 =S
1/6 of 186 =F
4/6 of 57 =H
4/6 of 15 =R
5/10 of 60 =P
6/10 of 10 =A
1/3 of 27 =E
1/5 of 105 =G
3/4 of 24 =D
2/6 of 78 =N
4/8 of 78 =I
3/6 of 8 =O
1/6 of 150 =W
0/14 letters found
Clue 3
Order of operations
To decode the secret frequency we followed a multi step math puzzle on the console.
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
15
59
53
21
11
57
32
T
15
53
48
24
16
53
19
24
48
11
21
68
48
56
73
59
T
15
24
16
13
48
53
32
11 × 3 - 18 =T
8 × 6 - 24 =F
11 × 7 - 9 =B
3 + 9 × 2 =M
11 × 7 - 4 =G
10 × 7 - 17 =E
11 × 6 - 7 =H
24 + 8 × 4 =I
3 × 9 - 8 =D
6 × 5 - 14 =L
49 + 4 × 2 =N
14 + 3 × 6 =S
4 × 8 - 19 =A
3 + 2 × 4 =O
20 + 4 × 7 =R
0/15 letters found
Clue 4
Rounding
The arcade score screen glitched and rounded all energy levels to the nearest hundred.
Solve each problem to learn its letter. Then write that letter in every box that shows the same number, and read the secret clue.
S
170
300
2900
700
7000
20
S
170
130
90
700
S
170
370
1700
110
30
290
2000
1300
1300
1100
300
230
1100
2900
1100
1300
1100
90
300
3700
1100
200
1700
7000
20
Round 174 to the nearest tenS
Round 91 to the nearest tenF
Round 233 to the nearest tenW
Round 7,123 to the nearest thousandN
Round 3,723 to the nearest hundredB
Round 334 to the nearest hundredT
Round 289 to the nearest tenM
Round 110 to the nearest tenK
Round 28 to the nearest tenY
Round 1,694 to the nearest hundredI
Round 1,132 to the nearest hundredE
Round 131 to the nearest tenO
Round 1,311 to the nearest hundredL
Round 371 to the nearest tenP
Round 249 to the nearest hundredH
Round 2,472 to the nearest thousandU
Round 693 to the nearest hundredA
Round 2,923 to the nearest hundredR
Round 23 to the nearest tenD
0/19 letters found
Clue 5
Missing addends — the last clue
We found some missing radio tubes needed to total our required battery output.
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
20 + ___ = 26
33 + ___ = 37
4 + ___ = 14
26 + ___ = 29
19 + ___ = 20
35 + ___ = 42
20 + ___ = 28
20 + ___ = 25
13 + ___ = 25
37 + ___ = 46
33 + ___ = 44
Step 2 — cross out the sentence with each answer
1.The villain shot down the glowing sign, then warped local time slightly.
2.The villain broadcasted creepy static, then stepped through a portal.
3.The villain played the cassette backwards, then stepped through a portal.
4.The villain played the cassette backwards, then floated objects around.
5.The villain jammed the radio tower, then warped local time slightly.
6.The villain broadcasted creepy static, then vanished into shadow camo.
7.The villain jammed the radio tower, then blasted minds with telepathy.
8.The villain played the cassette backwards, then warped local time slightly.
9.The villain shot down the glowing sign, then floated objects around.
10.The villain lit up the plasma grid, then stepped through a portal.
11.The villain broadcasted creepy static, then floated objects around.
12.The villain jammed the radio tower, then stepped through a portal.
Solve it
Name the culprit
Choose the one suspect left standing.
Answer Key — The Upside Outbreak
Culprit: Argyle Jones (Ham Radio · Portal Drift · Right Handed · Spiky Mullet · Bright Flares)
- Clue 1 (Multiplication facts (1-12)): "THE VILLAIN DOES NOT USE MIND BLAST"3 × 11 = 33 (T) · 4 × 2 = 8 (N) · 12 × 12 = 144 (B) · 5 × 3 = 15 (I) · 2 × 1 = 2 (V) · 4 × 12 = 48 (D) · 9 × 9 = 81 (U) · 3 × 9 = 27 (H) · 10 × 11 = 110 (O) · 2 × 7 = 14 (S) · 1 × 11 = 11 (L) · 7 × 7 = 49 (E) · 4 × 10 = 40 (A) · 10 × 9 = 90 (M)
- Clue 2 (Fractions of a number): "THE FOOTPRINTS SHOW A RIGHT HANDED SWING"1/4 of 48 = 12 (T) · 1/3 of 24 = 8 (S) · 1/6 of 186 = 31 (F) · 4/6 of 57 = 38 (H) · 4/6 of 15 = 10 (R) · 5/10 of 60 = 30 (P) · 6/10 of 10 = 6 (A) · 1/3 of 27 = 9 (E) · 1/5 of 105 = 21 (G) · 3/4 of 24 = 18 (D) · 2/6 of 78 = 26 (N) · 4/8 of 78 = 39 (I) · 3/6 of 8 = 4 (O) · 1/6 of 150 = 25 (W)
- Clue 3 (Order of operations): "THE MONSTER FLED FROM BRIGHT FLARES"11 × 3 - 18 = 15 (T) · 8 × 6 - 24 = 24 (F) · 11 × 7 - 9 = 68 (B) · 3 + 9 × 2 = 21 (M) · 11 × 7 - 4 = 73 (G) · 10 × 7 - 17 = 53 (E) · 11 × 6 - 7 = 59 (H) · 24 + 8 × 4 = 56 (I) · 3 × 9 - 8 = 19 (D) · 6 × 5 - 14 = 16 (L) · 49 + 4 × 2 = 57 (N) · 14 + 3 × 6 = 32 (S) · 4 × 8 - 19 = 13 (A) · 3 + 2 × 4 = 11 (O) · 20 + 4 × 7 = 48 (R)
- Clue 4 (Rounding): "STRANDS OF A SPIKY MULLET WERE LEFT BEHIND"Round 174 to the nearest ten = 170 (S) · Round 91 to the nearest ten = 90 (F) · Round 233 to the nearest ten = 230 (W) · Round 7,123 to the nearest thousand = 7000 (N) · Round 3,723 to the nearest hundred = 3700 (B) · Round 334 to the nearest hundred = 300 (T) · Round 289 to the nearest ten = 290 (M) · Round 110 to the nearest ten = 110 (K) · Round 28 to the nearest ten = 30 (Y) · Round 1,694 to the nearest hundred = 1700 (I) · Round 1,132 to the nearest hundred = 1100 (E) · Round 131 to the nearest ten = 130 (O) · Round 1,311 to the nearest hundred = 1300 (L) · Round 371 to the nearest ten = 370 (P) · Round 249 to the nearest hundred = 200 (H) · Round 2,472 to the nearest thousand = 2000 (U) · Round 693 to the nearest hundred = 700 (A) · Round 2,923 to the nearest hundred = 2900 (R) · Round 23 to the nearest ten = 20 (D)
- Clue 5 (Missing addends): surviving statement (box 2) → Argyle Jones20 + ___ = 26 = 6 · 33 + ___ = 37 = 4 · 4 + ___ = 14 = 10 · 26 + ___ = 29 = 3 · 19 + ___ = 20 = 1 · 35 + ___ = 42 = 7 · 20 + ___ = 28 = 8 · 20 + ___ = 25 = 5 · 13 + ___ = 25 = 12 · 37 + ___ = 46 = 9 · 33 + ___ = 44 = 11
About this mystery
- Grade level
- Grade 5 math
- Math topics
- Multiplication, Fractions of a number, Order of operations, Rounding, Missing addends
- Reading level
- grades 3-4
- Theme
- The Upside Outbreak — set in Hawkins Valley Arcade and Radio Tower
- Format
- Interactive online & printable worksheet with answer key
- Solution
- One unique, verified culprit among 21 suspects