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Number Riddles: Free Printable Game for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Number Riddles is a free printable maths game for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Each riddle gives clues about a mystery number, and children work out who it is. The clues use times tables, doubling and halving, tens and ones, multiples of 10 and numbers that sit between two others. It takes about 15 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children read the clues in each riddle and work out the mystery number. Some riddles give one clue and some give two. The clues ask children to use times tables, doubles and halves, adding or taking away from a number, tens and ones, multiples of 10, or a number that sits between two others. There is space beside each question to write the answer.
- I am a number between 20 and 30. I am in the 5 times table.
- I am double 12.
- I am the number of days in a week plus 10.
- I am half of 60.
- I am 4 tens and 6 ones.
- I am a multiple of 10. I am between 60 and 80.
- I am 100 take away 1.
- I am 3 times 9.
How to crack a riddle
I am a number between 140 and 160. I am in the 5 times table. I am odd. My tens digit is 4. Who am I?
This riddle is not on the sheet. It uses different numbers and shows two ways to work.
Method 1: list, then cross out- Write the numbers in the 5 times table between 140 and 160: 145, 150, 155.
- The clue says odd. 150 is even, so cross it out. That leaves 145 and 155.
- The tens digit must be 4. 145 has 4 tens. 155 has 5 tens, so cross it out.
- Numbers in the 5 times table end in 0 or 5. An odd number cannot end in 0, so the ones digit is 5.
- The number is between 140 and 160, so it starts 14 or 15. The tens digit is 4, so it starts 14.
- Put the parts together: 1 hundred, 4 tens and 5 ones.
How to solve a number riddle
Read every clue first
Read the whole riddle before guessing. One clue often fits many numbers. The next clue cuts the list down.
Start with the clue that narrows most
A clue like multiples of 10 between two numbers leaves very few choices. Start there and test the rest.
Cross out as you go
Write possible numbers on the page, or cross them off on a hundred square. Seeing what is left makes the thinking easier.
Check against every clue
Once you have a number, read each clue again. If one clue does not fit, the number is not right.
Why riddles help number sense
A riddle works backwards. Instead of being given a sum and finding an answer, children are given facts about a number and find the number itself. That means they have to know what a clue means, such as a multiple, a double or a half. In Year 3, children also work with three digit numbers and the 3, 4 and 8 times tables, so riddles can grow with them.
Riddles also teach children to rule things out. One clue rarely gives the answer on its own, so they learn to keep a list, test each idea and change their mind. Saying why a number does not fit is strong reasoning practice. It is a habit that helps with every area of maths.
Skills and curriculum link
- Place value
- Reasoning
- Problem solving
- Times tables
- Doubling and halving
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Maths | Number and place value | Year 3 |
What children will be able to do
- I can use clues about a number to work out what it is.
- I can talk about tens and ones in a number.
- I can write my own number riddle.
Ideas that help with number clues
- Multiples of 10Numbers in the 10 times table always end in 0. That makes them quick to spot in a list.
- Times table patternsNumbers in the 5 times table end in 0 or 5. Knowing the pattern helps children test a number without counting up.
- Double and halfDoubling and halving undo each other. Double 8 is 16, and half of 16 is 8.
- Tens and onesA number can be built from tens and ones. 3 tens and 2 ones makes 32. Saying the parts aloud helps children write the number the right way round.
Key words
- RiddleA puzzle that gives clues so you can work out the answer.
- ClueA small piece of information that helps you find the answer.
- MultipleA number in a times table. 12 is a multiple of 3 because 3 times 4 makes 12.
- DoubleTwo times a number. Double 8 is 16.
- HalfOne of two equal parts. Half of 10 is 5.
- BetweenIn the gap between two numbers. 14 is between 10 and 20.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Work through the first riddle together. Read every clue aloud and talk about what each one tells you.
- Take turns. Two players can read a riddle, think, then say their answer and the clue that helped most.
- Check against the answers on page 2. Ask, "How did you know?" The reasoning matters as much as the number.
- Come back another day and try the riddles again, or write new ones. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Use a hundred square. Read one clue, then cross out every number that does not fit. Do the next clue the same way. Count how many numbers are left. When only one number remains, check it against all the clues. A number line works too.
To stretch confident children
Write three riddles of your own, each with two clues. Make sure only one number fits both clues. Swap with a friend or grown up to solve. Then try making one riddle with three clues for a number bigger than 100.
Make it a game
One player thinks of a number and keeps it secret. They give one clue at a time. The other player guesses after each clue. Count how many clues were needed. Swap roles. The fewest clues wins the round.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child stops after the first clue and guesses a number that fits only that clue.
Try thisRemind them that every clue must be true. Ask them to check their number against the second clue before writing it down.
Watch forA child writes the digits the wrong way round when given tens and ones, such as 83 for 3 tens and 8 ones.
Try thisDraw tens as sticks and ones as dots. Say the number aloud, then ask which digit shows the tens.
Watch forA child mixes up double and half, or take away and plus.
Try thisRead the clue as a short sentence. Ask, "Should my number be bigger or smaller than the one in the clue?" Then check.
Talk about it
- Which clue helped you most, and why?
- How did you know a number did not fit?
- Can you tell if a number is in the 5 times table without counting up? How?
- What is the difference between double and half?
- Pick a number and give me one clue about its tens and ones. Can I guess it?
- What makes a good riddle clue? What makes a poor one?
Take it off the page
Hundred square hunt
Draw a grid of numbers from 1 to 100. Give a clue and let your child colour every number that fits. Add clues one at a time until only one number is left.
Number detectives at home
Pick a number you find at home, such as a house number or a page number in a book. Write two clues for it. Another person guesses.
Riddle swap box
Each person writes three riddles on slips of paper and puts them in a box. Take turns pulling one out to solve. Keep the slips and use them again on another day.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first riddle, then let them lead. Fifteen minutes is plenty. If they are stuck, ask them to say what each clue tells them, one at a time.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support, stretch and answers for mixed ability groups. Ask children to explain which clue helped most.
Home educators
Print it once and use it more than once. Siblings can write riddles for each other. It fits alongside everyday talk about number, such as house numbers, prices and times tables on car journeys.
Where this fits in maths
In Year 2, children learn about tens and ones, count in steps of 2, 5 and 10 and begin to compare numbers. Number riddles build on all of this. Children use what they already know about a number to describe it in new ways.
In Year 3, children work with three digit numbers, learn the 3, 4 and 8 times tables and practise reasoning about number. Riddles can grow to include hundreds, bigger multiples and more clues. In Year 4, children meet larger numbers and more times tables, and the same clue based thinking still applies.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Which clue helped you most, and why?
- How did you rule out the other numbers?
- Can you give me a riddle for the number 250?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Number Riddles for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Confident Year 2 children may enjoy it with help. Older children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to write harder riddles of their own.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes. Two players can take turns to make it feel quicker. You can stop part way through and finish another day, since the riddles do not need to be done in one go.
- Does my child need to know all their times tables?
No. Some clues use the 5 times table and the 3 times table, but a hundred square or number line can help. Children who are still learning can use them to check their ideas.
- What if my child gets stuck on a riddle?
Ask them to read the clues one at a time and say what each one tells them. A hundred square is useful for crossing out numbers that do not fit. Then move on and return to the riddle later.
- Are the answers included?
Yes. Page 2 is for the grown up and has the answers, along with notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea. Keep it back until your child has had a go.
- Can I use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. It supports the Number and place value strand of the Year 3 National Curriculum for England.
- Is it screen free?
Yes. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and prints well in black and white.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.