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 0.75 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 September 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	01:46	0.56
	Southern Cross	new_solver	neutrino	02:14	-0.02
	Stefan Szulc	tracked	neutrino	02:55	0.08
	TimA	tracked	neutrino	03:00	0.04
	Petinny	new_solver	neutrino	03:00	0.23
	Margaut	tracked	neutrino	03:06	-0.02
	childshouse	new_solver	neutrino	03:23	0.02
	robertsonjon	new_solver	neutrino	03:38	0.2
	willperf	new_solver	neutrino	03:39	0.14
	seamus.butler	new_solver	neutrino	03:43	0.02
	Solver52	reference	neutrino	03:44	0.34
	Torquay53	new_solver	neutrino	03:44	0.07
	Henry Wyatt	tracked	neutrino	03:57	-0.01
	cliffyg	new_solver	neutrino	04:26	0.03
	C M Gilles	new_solver	neutrino	04:26	0.18
	ray lewis	tracked	neutrino	04:28	0.09
	benedick	reference	neutrino	04:29	0.23
	DaddyM	tracked	neutrino	04:37	-0.02
	Pnmcg	new_solver	neutrino	05:06	0.06
	susan	tracked	neutrino	05:08	0.22
	Balawo	tracked	neutrino	05:10	0.29
1	mohn	reference	reference	05:10	0.75
2	cmjhutton	new_solver	reference	05:31	0.78
	chaswil	tracked	neutrino	05:31	0.51
3	Magoo	reference	reference	05:45	0.81
4	Nathan Panning	new_solver	reference	05:45	0.73
5	lili	tracked	reference	05:48	0.7
	antigone	new_solver	neutrino	05:59	-0.1
	michaelbell53	new_solver	neutrino	06:07	0.07
6	Paul Gilbert	tracked	reference	06:16	0.8
7	verlaine	reference	reference	06:35	0.76
	fshephe	reference	neutrino	06:44	0.62
8	mistigris	reference	reference	07:00	0.84
9	Jason	reference	reference	07:03	0.78
10	Alexis Johansen	new_solver	reference	07:12	0.84
11	HoneyBadger	new_solver	reference	07:22	0.8
12	aphis99	reference	reference	07:40	0.81
	samgdavies	new_solver	neutrino	07:49	0.44
13	philjordan1147	new_solver	reference	07:55	0.64
	greggybell	tracked	neutrino	07:57	0.43
14	hilarym	tracked	reference	08:00	0.76
15	Umpire	new_solver	reference	08:27	0.8
16	NeilT	tracked	reference	08:33	0.87
	boulemiche	tracked	neutrino	08:37	0.49
17	richard	reference	reference	08:44	0.74
18	Ciolf	new_solver	reference	08:55	0.77
19	asaldanha	reference	reference	08:56	0.8
20	Amoeba89	new_solver	reference	09:18	0.82
21	Deane Short	new_solver	reference	09:39	0.8
22	Aybee	new_solver	reference	09:57	0.65
23	Askival	tracked	reference	10:08	0.74
24	glheard	reference	reference	10:10	0.75
	Freemers1968	new_solver	neutrino	10:11	0.41
25	markdobell	new_solver	reference	10:13	0.79
26	LoreleiBill	new_solver	reference	10:35	0.78
27	Groucho	reference	reference	10:35	0.92
28	Heyesey	tracked	reference	10:38	0.81
29	SimonAnthony	reference	reference	10:40	0.78
30	clarkeybaby	new_solver	reference	10:49	0.75
	fuzz	tracked	neutrino	11:01	0.14
31	keriothe_	reference	reference	11:08	0.74
32	Kinghedger	tracked	reference	11:14	0.84
33	toots	new_solver	reference	11:17	0.75
34	EricK	new_solver	reference	11:27	0.78
35	Morphosis	new_solver	reference	11:56	0.82
36	chindit	reference	reference	11:56	0.78
	KenD51	tracked	neutrino	11:57	-0.09
37	David Crooks	reference	reference	12:03	0.83
38	lickert	reference	reference	12:06	0.75
	alisonm74	new_solver	neutrino	12:14	0.61
39	Riche	new_solver	reference	12:14	0.72
40	Adelaider	new_solver	reference	12:23	0.72
41	ChuckB	tracked	reference	12:25	0.75
42	neilr	reference	reference	12:26	0.87
43	miked1961	tracked	reference	12:27	0.83
44	cdb_100	tracked	reference	12:29	0.82
45	Semillon	tracked	reference	12:33	0.77
46	tilbee	new_solver	reference	12:36	0.81
47	Sheapey	reference	reference	12:40	0.83
48	The Dabbler	tracked	reference	12:44	0.96
49	aphasic	tracked	reference	12:46	0.74
50	andy	tracked	reference	12:51	0.66
51	Topical Tim	reference	reference	12:54	0.71
52	Tom Stubbs	reference	reference	12:55	0.82
	GeorgeTz	new_solver	neutrino	12:57	0.7
53	julian_w	tracked	reference	13:02	0.59
54	MikeOsborneMason	reference	reference	13:03	0.76
	John Walsh	tracked	neutrino	13:04	0.61
55	Emmet	new_solver	reference	13:09	0.72
56	canismiser	new_solver	reference	13:10	0.69
57	Silva	reference	reference	13:14	0.78
58	chriswords	reference	reference	13:17	0.71
59	d.middleton	new_solver	reference	13:20	0.67
60	njnclarke	tracked	reference	13:23	0.79
61	alexh	tracked	reference	13:29	0.73
62	Peponi13	new_solver	reference	13:30	0.82
63	Pootle	new_solver	reference	13:32	0.75
64	OliGrant	tracked	reference	13:35	0.71
65	Secondbass	new_solver	reference	13:38	0.76
66	Paul Hammond	new_solver	reference	13:43	0.78
67	Stavros	reference	reference	13:48	0.84
68	Paul Bacon	new_solver	reference	13:49	0.77
69	Sue Sweeper	reference	reference	14:03	0.79
70	benbush	new_solver	reference	14:05	0.82
71	MK76	tracked	reference	14:10	0.65
72	Eddddddd	tracked	reference	14:10	0.88
73	Ed freshpot	reference	reference	14:11	0.77
74	March	new_solver	reference	14:11	0.82
75	BlackburnRover	new_solver	reference	14:12	0.81
76	scrabbler	new_solver	reference	14:15	0.83
77	JimboFS	new_solver	reference	14:16	0.79
78	trux	reference	reference	14:20	0.77
79	CentralLine	tracked	reference	14:20	0.8
80	fishernick79	tracked	reference	14:25	0.67
81	Johninterred	new_solver	blog_solver	14:52	0.92
	john.brassey	new_solver	neutrino	14:57	0.14
82	LouWeed	reference	reference	14:58	0.79
83	dr.shred	new_solver	reference	15:00	0.64
84	7dPenguin	tracked	reference	15:01	0.78
85	Looch	reference	reference	15:03	0.82
86	Finzi	new_solver	reference	15:03	0.77
87	daulbs	tracked	reference	15:03	0.83
88	chriswestontour	new_solver	reference	15:04	0.71
89	Tibthorpe	reference	reference	15:10	0.79
90	franceslc11	new_solver	reference	15:11	0.85
91	Vannyx	new_solver	reference	15:24	0.82
92	rob.rolfe42	new_solver	reference	15:31	0.73
93	DunPangolin	new_solver	reference	15:34	0.61
94	Ben Staveley	reference	reference	15:35	0.75
95	Penfold_61	new_solver	reference	15:35	0.84
96	TonyG0	new_solver	reference	15:35	0.83
97	tds	new_solver	reference	15:47	0.84
98	cmcnsmith	new_solver	reference	15:48	0.68
99	JezWoolfrey	reference	reference	15:49	0.78
100	Jeremy S	new_solver	reference	15:56	0.75
101	RobR	reference	reference	15:57	0.72
102	Bill K	new_solver	reference	16:00	0.76
103	hopkinb	new_solver	reference	16:11	0.76
104	Anomalospiza	new_solver	reference	16:16	0.74
105	andrewlake	tracked	reference	16:17	0.78
106	james150374	new_solver	reference	16:22	0.75
107	gabrojak	new_solver	reference	16:24	0.89
108	cerid	new_solver	reference	16:27	0.78
109	Squallaby	reference	reference	16:29	0.84
	ajcauk1	new_solver	neutrino	16:30	0.3
110	Aldus	new_solver	reference	16:32	0.64
111	Mike C	new_solver	reference	16:38	0.81
112	oboylesean5	new_solver	reference	16:42	0.91
113	Valance	tracked	reference	16:44	0.81
114	tapbarker	tracked	reference	16:46	0.79
115	endafk	tracked	reference	16:56	0.84
116	jimwetzler	tracked	reference	16:58	0.7
117	Rowlie26	new_solver	reference	17:00	0.57
118	Cookincats	tracked	reference	17:07	0.81
119	rrricharrrd	tracked	reference	17:09	0.76
120	Galspray	tracked	reference	17:12	0.8
121	KarenR	tracked	reference	17:16	0.78
122	Encota	new_solver	reference	17:26	0.77
123	LJCN	new_solver	reference	17:28	0.85
124	Dzhigit	tracked	reference	17:29	0.71
125	The Caffeine Kid	new_solver	reference	17:41	0.63
126	chrisw42	new_solver	reference	17:49	0.84
127	pc8	tracked	reference	17:53	0.8
128	Pxspxs	new_solver	reference	17:53	0.78
129	DanSolo	new_solver	reference	17:56	0.79
130	chrismarch	new_solver	reference	17:59	0.63
131	mjsaunders9	new_solver	reference	18:12	0.79
132	james.brown	new_solver	reference	18:16	0.79
133	tom.healey	new_solver	reference	18:20	0.62
134	Crossiant	new_solver	reference	18:20	0.93
135	Bluemilan	new_solver	reference	18:26	0.83
136	Stuart42	new_solver	reference	18:34	0.81
137	Zander	tracked	reference	18:45	0.74
138	PGooden	reference	reference	18:46	0.84
139	Nangle	tracked	reference	18:48	0.73
140	Maitresse	new_solver	reference	18:49	0.82
141	Onelug	new_solver	reference	18:50	0.86
142	KET	tracked	reference	18:54	0.86
143	daniel.faith	new_solver	reference	18:56	0.77
144	inca1	new_solver	reference	18:58	0.82
145	Gallion Fish	new_solver	reference	19:12	0.81
146	uvofiz	new_solver	reference	19:13	0.83
147	valerian1967	tracked	reference	19:15	0.84
148	janesa	new_solver	reference	19:22	0.92
149	Achernar	tracked	reference	19:23	0.82
	myles	tracked	neutrino	19:24	0.61
150	robinh	reference	reference	19:25	0.83
151	Blackbeard	tracked	reference	19:34	0.77
152	Astonvilla.1	new_solver	reference	19:40	0.7
153	Zabadak3	new_solver	reference	19:55	0.75
154	harl3qu1n	new_solver	reference	19:57	0.76
155	gnome123	new_solver	reference	20:01	0.76
156	Curarist	tracked	reference	20:01	0.84
157	GMcD	reference	reference	20:07	0.85
	m28ale	new_solver	neutrino	20:09	0.31
158	pterodactyl	reference	reference	20:26	0.64
159	Rod B	new_solver	reference	20:32	0.79
160	UisceTe	new_solver	reference	20:35	0.69
161	Willie F	new_solver	reference	20:35	0.8
162	Solving slo mo	new_solver	tracked	20:41	0.48
163	Astonvilla1	new_solver	blog_solver	20:47	0.72
164	DianeRS	new_solver	reference	20:55	0.71
165	Corymbia	new_solver	reference	21:05	0.78
166	Jagsfan1971	tracked	reference	21:09	0.89
167	1234	reference	reference	21:13	0.75
168	puzzled1	tracked	reference	21:22	0.62
169	Dvynys	new_solver	reference	21:29	0.83
170	david_ch	new_solver	blog_solver	21:29	0.83
171	James P	tracked	reference	21:32	0.84
172	tony the butcher montana	new_solver	reference	21:34	0.67
173	Tudds	reference	reference	21:35	0.83
174	John Arnold	reference	reference	21:48	0.5
175	Waterloo	new_solver	reference	22:01	0.78
176	hugh schofield	new_solver	reference	22:03	0.72
	squark	new_solver	neutrino	22:07	0.24
177	Colin2355	new_solver	reference	22:18	0.84
178	JayEm	new_solver	reference	22:21	0.63
179	alwsn8	new_solver	reference	22:32	0.74
180	Hamish.S	new_solver	reference	22:33	0.78
181	goblin	tracked	reference	22:34	0.75
182	Upfisher	new_solver	reference	22:49	0.88
183	Snorter	new_solver	reference	22:50	0.76
184	JPTC	new_solver	reference	23:02	0.69
185	En Cee	tracked	reference	23:08	0.69
186	Jamie Fox	new_solver	reference	23:14	0.69
187	stainl665	new_solver	reference	23:15	0.76
188	jimancliffe	new_solver	reference	23:16	0.64
189	george.garlick	new_solver	reference	23:17	0.79
190	metagloria	new_solver	reference	23:18	0.69
191	ChrisBrea	new_solver	reference	23:27	0.7
192	brian.richards1	new_solver	reference	23:31	0.81
193	AHearer2	tracked	reference	23:32	0.65
194	heathldv	new_solver	reference	23:35	0.81
195	gsriordan52	new_solver	reference	23:36	0.79
196	rjhinde61	new_solver	reference	23:41	0.61
197	Speedcop2	new_solver	reference	23:41	0.72
198	David Bourne	tracked	reference	23:43	0.94
199	intentional rounding	new_solver	reference	23:44	0.74
200	earlylight	tracked	reference	23:47	0.69
201	JoeyC	tracked	reference	23:57	0.84
202	rolytoly	tracked	reference	23:59	0.63
203	Doyler	new_solver	reference	24:11	0.81
204	LiamD	new_solver	reference	24:12	0.76
205	heisenberg1	new_solver	reference	24:12	0.89
206	Whitby Terrier	new_solver	reference	24:16	0.65
	Mike Mansbridge	new_solver	neutrino	24:21	0.21
207	Rosey6	new_solver	reference	24:29	0.82
208	JohnDun	reference	reference	24:39	0.86
209	Mudge	new_solver	reference	24:45	0.71
210	SlumdogEngineer	tracked	reference	25:20	0.8
211	Brenk	tracked	reference	25:25	0.59
212	rjcassidy	reference	reference	25:31	0.85
213	Crippens1	reference	reference	25:38	0.83
214	Dr_Bob	new_solver	reference	25:40	0.76
215	Kevin Gregg	reference	reference	25:51	0.78
216	barracuda	reference	reference	25:56	0.86
217	chris661554	new_solver	reference	26:01	0.84
218	tonym	tracked	reference	26:06	0.83
219	crosswordian	reference	reference	26:11	0.78
220	Fidelio	new_solver	reference	26:12	0.65
221	Menelaus	new_solver	reference	26:16	0.62
222	Mkgnao	reference	reference	26:19	0.72
223	Deezzaa	new_solver	reference	26:31	0.79
224	Manuel1	new_solver	reference	26:41	0.8
225	crucihacker	new_solver	reference	26:41	0.7
226	Archie	tracked	reference	26:49	0.75
227	neil.rutledge	new_solver	tracked	26:53	0.5
228	medodd	new_solver	reference	26:53	0.64
229	rowrhorowyourboat	new_solver	reference	26:56	0.78
230	wolfcloud	new_solver	reference	26:59	0.64
231	alf3056	tracked	reference	27:00	0.6
	FelicityTT	reference	neutrino	27:10	0.55
232	NAPASAI	reference	reference	27:15	0.72
233	David Luke	new_solver	reference	27:17	0.81
234	MichelinPoitiers	new_solver	reference	27:27	0.75
235	Grumpole	new_solver	reference	27:29	0.77
236	rv_1	new_solver	reference	27:32	0.76
	Winchelt618	new_solver	neutrino	27:38	0.19
237	Gussie	new_solver	reference	27:48	0.88
238	wimpoldo	new_solver	reference	27:48	0.52
239	infinitejest	new_solver	reference	27:56	0.91
240	Edprof	reference	reference	28:10	0.55
	suethepotterer	new_solver	neutrino	28:10	0.43
241	The Real Steve Snackman	new_solver	reference	28:15	0.68
242	Yatton50	tracked	reference	28:21	0.71
243	Mike Harper	tracked	reference	28:35	0.74
244	iholloway	new_solver	reference	29:04	0.71
245	Gordon B	new_solver	reference	29:05	0.64
246	simjt	new_solver	reference	29:11	0.79
247	timbo	tracked	reference	29:25	0.77
248	Manveru	reference	reference	29:30	0.64
249	Word Psmith	tracked	reference	29:31	0.62
250	ulaca	reference	reference	29:37	0.79
251	nekabue	reference	reference	30:02	0.57
252	symbenall2	tracked	reference	30:05	0.82
253	Birdingbob	new_solver	reference	30:27	0.86
	phatman	new_solver	neutrino	30:34	0.32
254	Msimmo	new_solver	reference	30:37	0.77
255	griftdrift	new_solver	reference	30:38	0.74
256	MalcolmD	new_solver	reference	31:18	0.8
257	Pelforth	new_solver	reference	31:19	0.73
258	gbestanley	reference	reference	31:20	0.73
259	Rookie	new_solver	reference	31:22	0.69
260	docjd	new_solver	reference	31:55	0.69
261	Troothful	new_solver	reference	31:56	0.7
262	eniamretrauq	reference	reference	32:12	0.53
263	laurence_da	new_solver	reference	32:24	0.66
264	Peloton	new_solver	reference	32:55	0.7
265	Col-y-wobble	new_solver	reference	33:04	0.7
266	joss henry	tracked	reference	33:23	0.61
267	JGP	tracked	reference	33:34	0.85
268	CoxBurglar	new_solver	reference	33:38	0.63
269	E Bradford	new_solver	reference	33:51	0.78
270	Jambo20	tracked	reference	33:52	0.86
	MartianAlien	tracked	neutrino	33:58	0.38
271	plusjeremy	new_solver	reference	34:31	0.84
	Cryptique	new_solver	neutrino	34:32	0.68
272	birthday girl	new_solver	reference	34:39	0.67
273	Shushannah	tracked	reference	34:46	0.8
274	gothick	new_solver	reference	34:50	0.72
275	koro	reference	reference	35:13	0.83
276	Pleasuredome	tracked	reference	35:15	0.68
277	Dr Dolittle	new_solver	reference	35:29	0.67
	dosbarth	new_solver	neutrino	35:40	0.64
278	vinyl12345	new_solver	reference	35:50	0.81
279	kapietro	new_solver	reference	36:25	0.86
280	clivejharlow	new_solver	reference	36:37	0.89
281	jackk.larg	new_solver	reference	37:01	0.88
282	Aidleys	new_solver	reference	37:20	0.69
283	WordPlodder	new_solver	reference	37:25	0.73
	ibaram	new_solver	neutrino	38:25	0.22
284	GordonIsANeuron	new_solver	reference	38:43	0.63
285	baronrob	tracked	reference	38:48	0.79
	HanS	tracked	neutrino	38:50	0.6
286	starstruck	tracked	reference	39:00	0.85
	RaghuS	tracked	neutrino	39:47	0.21
287	BertieVII	new_solver	tracked	40:20	0.47
288	bridgesong	new_solver	reference	40:39	0.85
	SlowSteady	new_solver	neutrino	40:47	0.38
289	Steve Wood	tracked	reference	41:02	0.86
	cpn-xonmkhdty	new_solver	neutrino	41:09	0.43
	Lloyd	new_solver	neutrino	41:38	0.63
290	MichaelE	new_solver	reference	43:00	0.75
	maryht	tracked	neutrino	43:16	0.46
291	timcro	tracked	reference	43:39	0.72
292	MartinP	tracked	tracked	45:16	0.78
293	empty	reference	tracked	47:03	0.69
294	paulmcl	tracked	tracked	48:12	0.63
295	Ron's mum	reference	tracked	49:32	0.57
296	hilarymatthews58	new_solver	tracked	52:19	0.59
297	Merlin_55	new_solver	tracked	52:56	0.85
	VictoriaW	tracked	neutrino	53:12	0.32
298	profsjpayne	new_solver	tracked	56:01	0.68
299	kjbr	tracked	tracked	58:04	0.73
300	timendo	new_solver	tracked	58:37	0.42
301	deebeeem	new_solver	tracked	59:35	0.69