Why solver classification matters

The SNITCH is calculated from Reference Solvers: club solvers whose results give a reliable measure of crossword difficulty. Solvers are classified automatically so that genuine solving behaviour contributes to the calculation, while other solving styles remain visible without distorting the statistics.

Non-reference solvers can still appear in tables and puzzle pages. Their results are simply excluded from the daily SNITCH calculation unless they meet the Reference Solver criteria.

What is a Neutrino?

How the detector works

The scatter plot below compares each solver's average solving time with their alignment to SNITCH difficulty rankings. Each point is one solver. The x-axis shows average solving time, and the y-axis shows how closely that solver's own ordering of puzzle difficulty agrees with the community-based SNITCH ordering.

Genuine solvers tend to cluster higher on the chart because they usually find the same puzzles easy or difficult as the wider solving community. Classic Neutrinos cluster toward the lower-left because their very fast times show little relationship to puzzle difficulty. Hover over a point to see the solver name.

Classification rules

The classifier uses average solving time and SNITCH alignment together. Very fast solvers need strong alignment before being accepted as Reference Solvers. Low alignment indicates Neutrino behaviour, especially when average solving times are unusually short.

Current settings for this SNITCH:

• Fast-solver boundary: under 8.0 minutes average solving time.
• Fast solvers need alignment of at least 0.6 to become Reference Solvers.
• Solvers below 0.4 alignment are classified as Neutrinos unless another configured rule applies.
• Other Reference Solvers need alignment of at least 0.5 and an average below 45.0 minutes.

Borderline cases become Tracked rather than Reference. Slower solvers with poor alignment are generally unsuitable as Reference Solvers even when they are not classic Neutrinos.

Solver categories

Category	Used in SNITCH?	Description
Reference	Yes	Reliable solvers whose results contribute to the SNITCH calculation.
Tracked	No	Solvers whose results are displayed but not used in calculating the SNITCH.
Neutrino	No	Solvers whose recorded times are inconsistent with normal solving behaviour.
Blog Solver	No	Solving times reported via the Times for the Times blog.

Current solver classifications

The chart below shows the same style of plot using each solver's current classification. These classifications are refreshed when the solver update is run.

Blog Solvers

Times reported on the Times for the Times blog can be tracked where the blogger has opted in. Use the "Blog Solver" button on crossword solving-time pages for full details.

• Preferred formats are "mm:ss" or "x minutes" in the comment title or at the start of the comment.
• Report errors as "n errors" near the time, for example "38:30, 0 errors".
• If only a time is given, the result is treated as error-free unless the comment mentions DNF, pink squares, or similar.
• Only the first main comment for each blogger is used; replies and later comments are ignored.

SNITCH alignment factor

The SNITCH alignment score measures whether a solver tends to find the same crosswords easy and difficult as the rest of the community. It is calculated using Spearman rank correlation between the solver's own ranking of puzzle difficulty and the SNITCH ranking for the same puzzles.

A score of 1 means almost perfect agreement. A score near 0 means there is no consistent relationship between the order of the solver's results and the SNITCH difficulty order.

For example, Verlaine has results as shown in the chart below. Easier puzzles according to the SNITCH are on the left of the x-axis, harder ones on the right. The individual results are noisy, but the easier SNITCH puzzles tend to be among Verlaine's easier results and the harder puzzles tend to be among his harder results. An alignment of around 0.8 is very typical of a real reference solver like Verlaine.

In contrast, the solving times for the solver below don't depend on whether the SNITCH sees the crossword as easy or hard. Because the solver's own ranking of puzzle difficulty does not follow the SNITCH ranking, the Spearman correlation is low.

Solving times for club members

The table below shows crossword club solvers who have submitted more than 20 solutions in the six months to the end of June 2026. Only Monday-to-Friday, error-free crosswords are considered. And only solvers with an average solving time of less than 60 minutes are included. The non-Neutrino solvers are ranked by that average solving time. The table also indicates the solver's status, including whether they are Reference solvers for calculation of the daily SNITCH.

Rank	Solver	Status - Oct 2018	Current Status	Average Time	SNITCH Correlation
	HedwigII	tracked	neutrino	02:13	0.46
	Southern Cross	new_solver	neutrino	02:22	0.06
	TimA	tracked	neutrino	02:53	-0.28
	Stefan Szulc	tracked	neutrino	02:56	0.21
	Petinny	new_solver	neutrino	02:58	0.26
	Margaut	tracked	neutrino	03:06	-0.12
	childshouse	new_solver	neutrino	03:20	-0.11
	robertsonjon	new_solver	neutrino	03:33	0.05
	willperf	new_solver	neutrino	03:38	-0.01
	seamus.butler	new_solver	neutrino	03:42	0.27
	Solver52	reference	neutrino	03:46	0.27
	accessit	new_solver	neutrino	03:55	0.0
	Henry Wyatt	tracked	neutrino	04:04	0.08
	cliffyg	new_solver	neutrino	04:24	0.07
	C M Gilles	new_solver	neutrino	04:27	0.33
	ray lewis	tracked	neutrino	04:27	0.07
	benedick	reference	neutrino	04:33	0.3
	Torquay53	new_solver	neutrino	04:48	0.24
	BrianS	tracked	neutrino	04:52	-0.04
1	mohn	reference	reference	05:02	0.78
	chaswil	tracked	neutrino	05:13	0.18
	susan	tracked	neutrino	05:33	0.33
	Pnmcg	new_solver	neutrino	05:51	0.29
2	cmjhutton	new_solver	reference	06:04	0.8
3	Paul Gilbert	tracked	reference	06:06	0.74
	antigone	new_solver	neutrino	06:08	0.1
4	Nathan Panning	new_solver	reference	06:09	0.78
	DaddyM	tracked	neutrino	06:16	0.14
5	lili	tracked	reference	06:19	0.75
6	Magoo	reference	reference	06:20	0.8
	michaelbell53	new_solver	neutrino	06:23	0.06
7	verlaine	reference	reference	06:50	0.77
	samgdavies	new_solver	neutrino	07:01	0.35
8	Alexis Johansen	new_solver	reference	07:12	0.84
9	mistigris	reference	reference	07:13	0.83
10	Jason	reference	reference	07:26	0.77
	greggybell	tracked	neutrino	07:35	0.34
11	HoneyBadger	new_solver	reference	07:48	0.85
12	hilarym	tracked	reference	07:50	0.68
13	aphis99	reference	reference	07:53	0.77
14	Umpire	new_solver	reference	08:31	0.8
15	fshephe	reference	reference	08:55	0.52
16	philjordan1147	new_solver	reference	09:08	0.61
17	Ciolf	new_solver	reference	09:32	0.8
18	boulemiche	tracked	reference	09:38	0.52
19	asaldanha	reference	reference	09:42	0.79
20	richard	reference	reference	09:49	0.84
21	Amoeba89	new_solver	reference	09:58	0.76
	Freemers1968	new_solver	neutrino	10:00	0.35
22	Wizard of Aus	new_solver	reference	10:07	0.66
23	markdobell	new_solver	reference	10:16	0.78
24	Deane Short	new_solver	reference	10:27	0.78
25	morleyterrier	new_solver	reference	10:34	0.81
26	LoreleiBill	new_solver	reference	10:42	0.79
27	glheard	reference	reference	10:46	0.76
28	Aybee	new_solver	reference	10:53	0.69
29	Askival	tracked	reference	10:53	0.73
30	SimonAnthony	reference	reference	10:54	0.74
31	Heyesey	tracked	reference	11:09	0.78
	fuzz	tracked	neutrino	11:19	0.07
32	Groucho	reference	reference	11:33	0.87
33	AlanS	reference	reference	11:34	0.75
34	Kinghedger	tracked	reference	11:34	0.84
	alisonm74	new_solver	neutrino	11:37	0.33
35	toots	new_solver	reference	11:39	0.72
36	keriothe_	reference	reference	11:43	0.76
37	Morphosis	new_solver	reference	12:03	0.78
38	patrickcates	tracked	reference	12:05	0.83
39	clarkeybaby	new_solver	reference	12:09	0.77
40	EricK	new_solver	reference	12:14	0.81
41	miked1961	tracked	reference	12:15	0.82
42	lickert	reference	reference	12:16	0.77
43	Riche	new_solver	reference	12:21	0.71
44	cdb_100	tracked	reference	12:26	0.75
45	chindit	reference	reference	12:30	0.82
46	David Crooks	reference	reference	12:34	0.79
47	The Dabbler	tracked	reference	12:34	0.88
48	Adelaider	new_solver	reference	12:49	0.72
49	Paul Bacon	new_solver	reference	12:55	0.72
50	neilr	reference	reference	13:00	0.78
51	Semillon	tracked	reference	13:00	0.78
52	scrabbler	new_solver	reference	13:06	0.84
	John Walsh	tracked	neutrino	13:08	0.55
	GeorgeTz	new_solver	neutrino	13:15	0.6
53	d.middleton	new_solver	reference	13:16	0.61
	KenD51	tracked	neutrino	13:17	-0.05
54	tilbee	new_solver	reference	13:18	0.87
55	aphasic	tracked	reference	13:19	0.72
56	ChuckB	tracked	reference	13:21	0.8
57	Tom Stubbs	reference	reference	13:21	0.77
58	Eddddddd	tracked	reference	13:25	0.91
59	chriswords	reference	reference	13:25	0.74
60	Topical Tim	reference	reference	13:30	0.73
61	Peponi13	new_solver	reference	13:30	0.62
62	canismiser	new_solver	reference	13:35	0.64
63	MikeOsborneMason	reference	reference	13:37	0.8
64	Sheapey	reference	reference	13:43	0.83
65	Silva	reference	reference	13:53	0.77
66	fishernick79	tracked	reference	13:55	0.75
67	Emmet	new_solver	reference	13:56	0.78
68	alexh	tracked	reference	13:57	0.72
69	julian_w	tracked	reference	13:57	0.68
70	OliGrant	tracked	reference	14:09	0.75
71	andy	tracked	reference	14:12	0.83
72	trux	reference	reference	14:12	0.67
73	njnclarke	tracked	reference	14:20	0.76
74	Pootle	new_solver	reference	14:29	0.81
75	Secondbass	new_solver	reference	14:34	0.82
76	Stavros	reference	reference	14:37	0.74
77	March	new_solver	reference	14:46	0.85
78	MK76	tracked	reference	14:52	0.75
79	JimboFS	new_solver	reference	14:53	0.77
80	Sue Sweeper	reference	reference	14:54	0.75
81	nickname	new_solver	reference	15:02	0.9
82	chriswestontour	new_solver	reference	15:04	0.73
83	Looch	reference	reference	15:08	0.74
84	daulbs	tracked	reference	15:14	0.78
85	Ed freshpot	reference	reference	15:19	0.75
86	TonyG0	new_solver	reference	15:22	0.86
87	LouWeed	reference	reference	15:24	0.79
88	BlackburnRover	new_solver	reference	15:30	0.77
	john.brassey	new_solver	neutrino	15:30	0.01
89	Bill K	new_solver	reference	15:37	0.73
90	benbush	new_solver	reference	15:38	0.84
91	Paul Hammond	new_solver	reference	15:41	0.74
92	Finzi	new_solver	reference	15:41	0.85
93	DunPangolin	new_solver	tracked	15:43	0.47
94	franceslc11	new_solver	reference	15:49	0.86
95	7dPenguin	tracked	reference	15:58	0.81
96	Johninterred	new_solver	blog_solver	15:59	0.89
97	cmcnsmith	new_solver	reference	16:02	0.58
98	rrricharrrd	tracked	reference	16:07	0.76
	Kalakuta72	new_solver	neutrino	16:08	0.35
99	CentralLine	tracked	reference	16:08	0.84
100	Penfold_61	new_solver	reference	16:10	0.82
101	rob.rolfe42	new_solver	reference	16:12	0.8
102	jimwetzler	tracked	tracked	16:20	0.49
103	JezWoolfrey	reference	reference	16:20	0.69
104	Cookincats	tracked	reference	16:24	0.67
105	ram80	new_solver	reference	16:29	0.74
106	gabrojak	new_solver	reference	16:30	0.87
107	andrewlake	tracked	reference	16:34	0.77
108	dr.shred	new_solver	reference	16:41	0.75
109	Tibthorpe	reference	reference	16:47	0.81
110	Ben Staveley	reference	reference	16:47	0.76
111	Encota	new_solver	reference	16:49	0.78
112	Jeremy S	new_solver	reference	16:52	0.71
113	RobR	reference	reference	17:08	0.81
114	Vannyx	new_solver	reference	17:21	0.85
115	tapbarker	tracked	reference	17:22	0.81
116	james150374	new_solver	reference	17:22	0.73
117	ajcauk1	new_solver	reference	17:25	0.55
118	Squallaby	reference	reference	17:29	0.85
119	tds	new_solver	reference	17:31	0.89
120	Galspray	tracked	reference	17:39	0.75
121	Anomalospiza	new_solver	reference	17:40	0.67
122	Aldus	new_solver	reference	17:43	0.72
123	cerid	new_solver	reference	17:55	0.8
124	Mike C	new_solver	reference	18:08	0.81
125	Valance	tracked	reference	18:14	0.86
126	james.brown	new_solver	reference	18:18	0.82
127	hopkinb	new_solver	reference	18:21	0.84
128	The Caffeine Kid	new_solver	reference	18:29	0.63
129	DanSolo	new_solver	reference	18:31	0.81
130	endafk	tracked	reference	18:32	0.82
131	Bluemilan	new_solver	reference	18:37	0.84
	myles	tracked	neutrino	18:38	0.52
132	mjsaunders9	new_solver	reference	18:39	0.81
133	howardwilde1	new_solver	reference	18:45	0.83
134	KET	tracked	reference	18:46	0.81
135	KarenR	tracked	reference	18:48	0.84
136	Grestyman1	new_solver	reference	18:53	0.57
137	pc8	tracked	reference	19:06	0.77
138	ilan	new_solver	reference	19:11	0.84
139	robinh	reference	reference	19:20	0.76
140	Nangle	tracked	reference	19:24	0.72
141	Dzhigit	tracked	reference	19:25	0.81
142	Balawo	tracked	reference	19:30	0.63
143	Zander	tracked	reference	19:32	0.8
144	Maitresse	new_solver	reference	19:37	0.78
145	inca1	new_solver	reference	19:38	0.79
146	Onelug	new_solver	reference	19:42	0.78
147	gnome123	new_solver	reference	19:44	0.69
148	PGooden	reference	reference	19:50	0.89
149	uvofiz	new_solver	reference	19:56	0.83
150	LJCN	new_solver	reference	19:56	0.87
151	valerian1967	tracked	reference	20:04	0.8
152	daniel.faith	new_solver	reference	20:08	0.83
153	Crossiant	new_solver	reference	20:09	0.91
154	janesa	new_solver	reference	20:29	0.89
155	Pxspxs	new_solver	reference	20:31	0.78
156	GMcD	reference	reference	20:38	0.79
157	Blackbeard	tracked	reference	20:40	0.82
158	chrisw42	new_solver	reference	20:51	0.87
159	Achernar	tracked	reference	20:53	0.79
160	Curarist	tracked	reference	20:54	0.84
161	Foozler	new_solver	reference	20:59	0.7
162	Zabadak3	new_solver	reference	21:06	0.81
163	Willie F	new_solver	reference	21:08	0.77
164	Dvynys	new_solver	reference	21:11	0.74
165	chrismarch	new_solver	reference	21:16	0.64
166	earlylight	tracked	reference	21:21	0.51
167	pterodactyl	reference	reference	21:31	0.66
168	harl3qu1n	new_solver	reference	21:42	0.86
169	John Arnold	reference	reference	21:45	0.63
170	Astonvilla.1	new_solver	reference	21:46	0.69
171	Upfisher	new_solver	reference	21:53	0.69
172	tony the butcher montana	new_solver	reference	22:02	0.62
173	Solving slo mo	new_solver	reference	22:05	0.58
174	UisceTe	new_solver	reference	22:16	0.76
175	David Bourne	tracked	reference	22:17	0.89
176	hugh schofield	new_solver	reference	22:24	0.72
177	david_ch	new_solver	blog_solver	22:28	0.78
178	dec	reference	reference	22:30	0.8
179	James P	tracked	reference	22:38	0.86
180	Colin2355	new_solver	reference	22:40	0.82
181	Tudds	reference	reference	22:40	0.82
182	JayEm	new_solver	reference	22:42	0.63
183	alwsn8	new_solver	reference	23:01	0.73
184	Jagsfan1971	tracked	reference	23:01	0.71
185	Waterloo	new_solver	reference	23:03	0.89
186	Astonvilla1	new_solver	blog_solver	23:06	0.67
187	Rod B	new_solver	reference	23:15	0.76
188	Hamish.S	new_solver	reference	23:23	0.75
189	Gallion Fish	new_solver	reference	23:25	0.73
190	george.garlick	new_solver	reference	23:26	0.82
191	brian.richards1	new_solver	reference	23:32	0.65
192	Rosey6	new_solver	reference	23:35	0.75
193	Doyler	new_solver	reference	23:37	0.89
194	En Cee	tracked	reference	23:41	0.6
195	goblin	tracked	reference	23:54	0.78
196	gsriordan52	new_solver	reference	23:55	0.75
197	Whitby Terrier	new_solver	reference	23:59	0.7
198	Jamie Fox	new_solver	reference	24:12	0.61
199	rjhinde61	new_solver	reference	24:14	0.73
200	AHearer2	tracked	reference	24:18	0.66
201	1234	reference	reference	24:22	0.77
202	jimancliffe	new_solver	reference	24:23	0.68
203	JoeyC	tracked	reference	24:28	0.86
204	Corymbia	new_solver	reference	24:35	0.78
205	Kevin Gregg	reference	reference	24:50	0.72
206	ChrisBrea	new_solver	reference	25:14	0.96
207	Snorter	new_solver	reference	25:17	0.75
208	rjcassidy	reference	reference	25:21	0.83
209	stainl665	new_solver	reference	25:29	0.76
210	crosswordian	reference	reference	25:32	0.73
211	Dr_Bob	new_solver	reference	25:34	0.66
212	Manuel1	new_solver	reference	25:44	0.84
	suethepotterer	new_solver	neutrino	25:44	0.23
213	medodd	new_solver	reference	25:47	0.58
214	chris661554	new_solver	reference	26:01	0.75
215	infinitejest	new_solver	reference	26:13	0.76
216	rolytoly	tracked	reference	26:24	0.58
217	LiamD	new_solver	reference	26:30	0.77
218	Speedcop2	new_solver	reference	26:33	0.67
219	m28ale	new_solver	tracked	26:35	0.5
220	wimpoldo	new_solver	reference	26:44	0.54
221	Crippens1	reference	reference	26:52	0.66
222	Menelaus	new_solver	reference	26:54	0.61
223	intentional rounding	new_solver	reference	27:07	0.81
224	Deezzaa	new_solver	reference	27:13	0.79
225	JPTC	new_solver	reference	27:56	0.69
226	NAPASAI	reference	reference	27:57	0.68
227	alf3056	tracked	tracked	27:59	0.47
	Winchelt618	new_solver	neutrino	27:59	0.2
228	Brenk	tracked	reference	28:07	0.73
229	JohnDun	reference	reference	28:09	0.83
230	rowrhorowyourboat	new_solver	reference	28:12	0.87
231	simjt	new_solver	reference	28:16	0.73
232	David Luke	new_solver	reference	28:20	0.76
233	Mkgnao	reference	reference	28:28	0.77
234	metagloria	new_solver	reference	28:31	0.79
235	FelicityTT	reference	tracked	28:33	0.46
236	Msimmo	new_solver	reference	28:41	0.84
237	Mudge	new_solver	reference	28:51	0.79
238	ulaca	reference	reference	28:54	0.74
239	Word Psmith	tracked	reference	28:55	0.6
240	DianeRS	new_solver	reference	29:28	0.79
241	Archie	tracked	reference	29:42	0.88
242	MichelinPoitiers	new_solver	reference	29:50	0.76
243	tonym	tracked	reference	29:52	0.87
244	wolfcloud	new_solver	reference	29:56	0.58
245	Birdingbob	new_solver	reference	30:00	0.84
246	rv_1	new_solver	reference	30:07	0.75
247	The Real Steve Snackman	new_solver	reference	30:09	0.67
248	crucihacker	new_solver	reference	30:11	0.84
249	Gussie	new_solver	reference	30:21	0.92
250	Mike Harper	tracked	reference	30:30	0.78
251	barracuda	reference	reference	30:32	0.85
252	timbo	tracked	reference	31:00	0.9
253	Manveru	reference	reference	31:09	0.61
254	eniamretrauq	reference	reference	31:11	0.55
	Cryptique	new_solver	neutrino	31:31	0.35
255	gbestanley	reference	reference	31:46	0.78
256	docjd	new_solver	reference	31:47	0.61
257	SlumdogEngineer	tracked	reference	31:51	0.83
258	Yatton50	tracked	reference	32:00	0.61
259	Rookie	new_solver	reference	32:11	0.73
260	Grumpole	new_solver	reference	32:25	0.8
	6098mr	tracked	neutrino	32:34	0.3
261	Jambo20	tracked	reference	32:38	0.88
262	laurence_da	new_solver	reference	32:58	0.64
263	plusjeremy	new_solver	reference	33:16	0.83
264	symbenall2	tracked	reference	33:29	0.86
265	MartianAlien	tracked	reference	33:30	0.51
266	CoxBurglar	new_solver	reference	33:40	0.52
267	MalcolmD	new_solver	reference	33:42	0.73
268	neil.rutledge	new_solver	reference	33:48	0.64
269	JGP	tracked	reference	33:51	0.78
270	gothick	new_solver	reference	34:24	0.68
271	Col-y-wobble	new_solver	reference	34:59	0.83
272	vinyl12345	new_solver	reference	35:03	0.72
273	griftdrift	new_solver	reference	35:20	0.91
274	Pelforth	new_solver	reference	35:32	0.8
275	Charpentier	new_solver	reference	35:42	0.78
276	Alias Noble	new_solver	reference	36:09	0.6
277	Gordon B	new_solver	reference	36:47	0.67
278	Troothful	new_solver	reference	36:53	0.9
279	Peloton	new_solver	reference	37:07	0.75
280	koro	reference	reference	37:17	0.8
281	kapietro	new_solver	reference	37:23	0.86
282	E Bradford	new_solver	reference	37:31	0.77
283	Shushannah	tracked	reference	37:40	0.76
284	Pleasuredome	tracked	reference	37:43	0.67
285	birthday girl	new_solver	reference	37:53	0.76
	dosbarth	new_solver	neutrino	37:54	0.39
	RaghuS	tracked	neutrino	37:56	0.14
286	BertieVII	new_solver	reference	38:05	0.55
287	bobbb	tracked	reference	38:10	0.78
288	GordonIsANeuron	new_solver	reference	38:31	0.68
289	joss henry	tracked	reference	38:39	0.52
290	starstruck	tracked	reference	38:57	0.75
291	Dr Dolittle	new_solver	reference	39:02	0.81
292	WordPlodder	new_solver	reference	39:08	0.78
293	Aidleys	new_solver	reference	39:13	0.64
294	bridgesong	new_solver	reference	39:35	0.8
	maryht	tracked	neutrino	39:44	0.21
295	clivejharlow	new_solver	reference	40:01	0.88
	HanS	tracked	neutrino	40:06	0.38
	Mike Mansbridge	new_solver	neutrino	40:26	0.28
296	baronrob	tracked	reference	40:33	0.66
297	SK42	tracked	reference	40:47	0.92
298	Steve Wood	tracked	reference	42:01	0.86
299	Srb1	new_solver	reference	42:28	0.74
	Lloyd	new_solver	neutrino	44:06	0.72
	cpn-xonmkhdty	new_solver	neutrino	46:00	0.29
300	timcro	tracked	tracked	46:06	0.81
301	MichaelE	new_solver	tracked	46:12	0.74
	ibaram	new_solver	neutrino	47:16	0.13
302	MartinP	tracked	tracked	47:36	0.71
	VictoriaW	tracked	neutrino	48:58	0.2
303	empty	reference	tracked	49:53	0.73
304	paulmcl	tracked	tracked	51:12	0.56
305	Ron's mum	reference	tracked	51:27	0.48
306	hilarymatthews58	new_solver	tracked	54:32	0.44
307	Merlin_55	new_solver	tracked	54:36	0.87
308	profsjpayne	new_solver	tracked	56:57	0.58