Ages 8–10 · Est. 30–45 minutes · 2–6 players

Garden Mail Mystery

Return five garden letters to the right mail slots.

Six clues, three hint levels each, and a paper-only finish. No locks, apps or cutting required.

Garden Mail Mystery: Address desk: Each person has ONE different item. Use all four NOT rules. Find Snail's item and copy its digit.

Your mission

The garden post desk has mixed up its delivery record. Read the labels, check the route and rebuild the slot order before the flower fair opens. Collect five named badge digits and use the final sheet. Every clue is on the table; ask the host for one hint at a time.

Set up in one room

Print one player pack and two record sheets per team. Keep the host answers and all three hint levels with the adult.
Keep every clue as a full sheet at one table. Put the final sheet face down until all five results are recorded. Nothing needs cutting, folding or hiding.
Give each child a pencil. Choose a reader, recorder and checker, and swap jobs after each clue. Use one team for 2–4 children or two teams for 5–6.

Materials

6 player sheets and 2 prop sheets per team
One pencil per child
One adult host with the answer and hint pages

Designed ages and estimated time have not yet been calibrated in a live child playtest.

See all six player clues

These are the actual figures from the printable player pack.

1. Address

Address desk: Each person has ONE different item. Use all four NOT rules. Find Snail's item and copy its digit.

Read this clue in text

Leaf digit 3 Petal digit 6 Seed digit 9 People: Robin, Bee, Snail Robin does NOT have Seed. Bee does NOT have Leaf. Bee does NOT have Petal. Snail does NOT have Leaf. Find Snail's item. Each item is used once.

2. Seal

Seal desk: Compare the two records at matching numbered positions. Count different pairs once each; ignore box outlines.

Read this clue in text

Strip A: circle, star, diamond, heart, cross, hexagon, triangle, square. Strip B: diamond, star, cross, hexagon, cross, square, triangle, square. Compare the same numbered position.

3. Route

Route desk: Start at S. Follow EVERY arrow one square, including revisited cells. Record only the endpoint digit.

Read this clue in text

Grid rows: 4, 6, 8, 0 / 7, 9, 1, 3 / 0, 2, 4, 6. Start row 1, column 1. Moves: right, down, right, down, left, up, right; one square per move.

4. Post

Post desk: A return entry lost its amount. Use the opening and closing stock to find the missing return. Apply DONE entries; ignore the CANCELLED plan.

Garden Mail Mystery: Post desk: A return entry lost its amount. Use the opening and closing stock to find the missing return. Apply DONE entries; ignore the CANCELLED plan.

Read this clue in text

Opening stock: 10. Closing stock: 16. Received: +4 DONE Planned: +7 CANCELLED Issued: -1 DONE Returned: ? DONE Missing return = ? units. Ignore cancelled plans.

5. Slots

Slots desk: Decode all shapes in message order. Repeated shapes repeat their letter. Convert the full word using the table.

Read this clue in text

Key: circle means M; star means A; diamond means I; heart means L. Message: circle, star, diamond, heart. Conversion: MAIL means 6; LAMP means 9; GATE means 2.