SUSPECT BOOK

The Case of the Missing Cookies

Each suspect has two pages: a permanent Identity File and a reprintable Evidence File. Match the crime-scene clues to the evidence to find your culprit.

Maker Lab CSI - Internal

SUSPECT 1Identity File

The Food Delivery Driver

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Short brown, straight

Young and always in a hurry. Baseball cap, puffy jacket, a warm bag of takeout under one arm.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 1Evidence File swap each run

The Food Delivery Driver

Hair: Short brown, straight
Footprint: Work boot
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Loop
Favorite pen: Black Crayola

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 2Identity File

The Mail Carrier

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Bald (none under cap)

Friendly and a bit older. Postal uniform and cap, a heavy satchel full of letters.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 2Evidence File swap each run

The Mail Carrier

Hair: Bald (none under cap)
Footprint: Work boot
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Arch
Favorite pen: Black felt-tip

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 3Identity File

The Security Guard

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Short gray, straight

Tall and broad-shouldered. Uniform, shiny badge, and a walkie-talkie always clipped on.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 3Evidence File swap each run

The Security Guard

Hair: Short gray, straight
Footprint: Work boot
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Loop
Favorite pen: Black Mondo

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 4Identity File

The Janitor

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Bald head (big beard)

Whistles while he works. Overalls, a mop and bucket, bald head and a big bushy beard.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 4Evidence File swap each run

The Janitor

Hair: Bald head (big beard)
Footprint: Asics (waves, 2 tabs)
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Arch
Favorite pen: Black Crayola

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 5Identity File

The Groundskeeper

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Wild GRAY, curly (leaves in it)

Sun hat, gardening gloves, smudges of dirt. Wild gray curly hair with a few leaves stuck in it.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 5Evidence File swap each run

The Groundskeeper

Hair: Wild GRAY, curly (leaves in it)
Footprint: Plain sneaker
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Whorl
Favorite pen: Gray Crayola

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 6Identity File

The Teacher

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Brown, straight (ponytail)

Calm and tidy. Cardigan, glasses, a neat brown ponytail, and an armful of books.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 6Evidence File swap each run

The Teacher

Hair: Brown, straight (ponytail)
Footprint: Plain sneaker
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Loop
Favorite pen: Black felt-tip

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 7Identity File

The Director

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Short black, slick straight

Important and a little stiff. Sharp suit, a clipboard, slick black hair.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 7Evidence File swap each run

The Director

Hair: Short black, slick straight
Footprint: Work boot
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Whorl
Favorite pen: Black Mondo

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 8Identity File

The Bus Driver

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Short gray buzz

Steady and patient. Big coat, a lanyard of keys, always counting heads.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 8Evidence File swap each run

The Bus Driver

Hair: Short gray buzz
Footprint: Asics (waves, 2 tabs)
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Arch
Favorite pen: Black Crayola

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 9Identity File

The Lunch Lady

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Red, tucked in a hairnet

Warm and busy. Apron and hairnet, a big ladle, smells like the kitchen.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 9Evidence File swap each run

The Lunch Lady

Hair: Red, tucked in a hairnet
Footprint: Plain sneaker
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Loop
Favorite pen: Black felt-tip

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 10Identity File

The School Nurse

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Blonde, neat bun

Gentle and careful. Scrubs, a name badge, a little bag of bandages.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 10Evidence File swap each run

The School Nurse

Hair: Blonde, neat bun
Footprint: Work boot
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Arch
Favorite pen: Black Mondo

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 11Identity File

The Crossing Guard

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Short brown (under cap)

Cheerful and loud. Bright safety vest, a STOP sign, a shiny whistle.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 11Evidence File swap each run

The Crossing Guard

Hair: Short brown (under cap)
Footprint: Work boot
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Loop
Favorite pen: Black Crayola

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 12Identity File

The Cleaning Lady

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Brown, curly

Always humming a tune. Apron, rubber gloves, a spray bottle on her cart, and brown curly hair.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 12Evidence File swap each run

The Cleaning Lady

Hair: Brown, curly
Footprint: Asics (waves, 2 tabs)
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Whorl
Favorite pen: Gray Mondo

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 13Identity File

The Music Teacher

Species: Human
Gender: Female
Hair: Wild ORANGE, curly

Bouncy and bright. Carries a guitar and a tambourine, with wild orange curls everywhere.

Permanent - keep, do not reprintCase of the Missing Cookies

SUSPECT 13Evidence File swap each run

The Music Teacher

Hair: Wild ORANGE, curly
Footprint: Plain sneaker
Bite: Human
Fingerprint: Whorl
Favorite pen: Black felt-tip

Match these to the clues collected at the crime scene.

Re-printable - shuffle these between runsCase of the Missing Cookies

🔐 Instructor Pages

Answer key and run-it rules. Pull these before the book goes on the table.

Crime Scene Evidence & Solve Key

What the kids collect (this is the Cleaning Lady)

Hair: Brown, curly
Footprint: Asics (waves, 2 tabs)
Bite: Human (confirms a person, not a monster)
Fingerprint: Whorl
Pen on the note: Gray Mondo

Suspect	Hair	Footprint	Bite	Fingerprint	Pen	Matches
The Food Delivery Driver	Short brown, straight	Work boot	Human	Loop	Black Crayola	0
The Mail Carrier	Bald (none under cap)	Work boot	Human	Arch	Black felt-tip	0
The Security Guard	Short gray, straight	Work boot	Human	Loop	Black Mondo	0
The Janitor	Bald head (big beard)	Asics (waves, 2 tabs)	Human	Arch	Black Crayola	1
The Groundskeeper	Wild GRAY, curly (leaves in it)	Plain sneaker	Human	Whorl	Gray Crayola	1
The Teacher	Brown, straight (ponytail)	Plain sneaker	Human	Loop	Black felt-tip	0
The Director	Short black, slick straight	Work boot	Human	Whorl	Black Mondo	1
The Bus Driver	Short gray buzz	Asics (waves, 2 tabs)	Human	Arch	Black Crayola	1
The Lunch Lady	Red, tucked in a hairnet	Plain sneaker	Human	Loop	Black felt-tip	0
The School Nurse	Blonde, neat bun	Work boot	Human	Arch	Black Mondo	0
The Crossing Guard	Short brown (under cap)	Work boot	Human	Loop	Black Crayola	0
The Cleaning Lady	Brown, curly	Asics (waves, 2 tabs)	Human	Whorl	Gray Mondo	4
The Music Teacher	Wild ORANGE, curly	Plain sneaker	Human	Whorl	Black felt-tip	1

✅ Why it points only to the Cleaning Lady

Matches counts the discriminating clues (hair, footprint, fingerprint, pen). Bite = Human for everyone - it confirms a person, not a monster, but doesn't narrow the list. Only the Cleaning Lady matches all of them. Several suspects wear the same white rainbow Asics, but only her tread (waves + 2 tabs) matches the muddy print; fingerprints are matched by FAMILY (whorl / loop / arch), not the fine detail. She is placed near the end of the book on purpose - work through the others first.

The Story & Re-Running the Case

Whodunnit (and why nobody is in trouble)

The Cleaning Lady didn't steal the cookies - she tidied them away while cleaning so they wouldn't go stale, and left a note saying where she put them. But the note had a journey: her mop water splashed it (the puddle) and tore it, and she'd written a backup in invisible ink. The detectives recover that hidden note with the magic-ink reveal. Set the reveal location to wherever you stash the real cookies.

🔄 Two pages per suspect - how to shuffle

The left Identity File is permanent; the right Evidence File is reprintable - shoe size, bite, fingerprint, and pen are yours to shuffle. Keep the culprit near the END of the order so kids review the others first. To change the case: the Cleaning Lady's Evidence File IS the crime scene; reset her clues, then make sure no other suspect shares more than ONE of the four discriminating clues with her.