Crossword SNITCH

A quantitative guide to the degree of difficulty of the Times Cryptic Crossword

Reference solvers for December 2025

The following solvers are used as references for the NITCH calculations in this month. The time indicated is their average solving time for error-free puzzles during the prior six months. The solvers average NITCH for each day of week is also shown, with the number of solutions for that day.

RankSolverSolutions usedAverage time MonTueWedThuFri
1 mohn 60 04:34 72 (16) 85 (10) 105 (12) 96 (9) 142 (13)
2 Nathan Panning 80 05:21 73 (17) 91 (17) 83 (12) 107 (18) 142 (16)
3 Magoo 96 06:14 74 (20) 88 (20) 85 (14) 108 (23) 139 (19)
4 Paul Gilbert 90 06:21 78 (23) 88 (20) 81 (14) 114 (17) 145 (16)
5 cmjhutton 88 06:26 80 (18) 82 (18) 82 (18) 106 (18) 156 (16)
6 verlaine 121 06:45 74 (25) 87 (24) 84 (24) 107 (24) 146 (24)
7 Diskus 66 07:01 76 (14) 86 (13) 78 (13) 102 (14) 161 (12)
8 lili 116 07:01 67 (25) 85 (24) 91 (19) 112 (22) 139 (26)
9 Jason 100 07:17 72 (21) 80 (19) 87 (19) 118 (22) 142 (19)
10 mistigris 96 07:33 74 (17) 78 (21) 94 (18) 100 (21) 151 (19)
11 aphis99 115 07:45 73 (24) 88 (25) 95 (23) 116 (24) 134 (19)
12 HoneyBadger 126 08:21 84 (24) 89 (25) 92 (25) 96 (26) 135 (26)
13 Alexis Johansen 73 08:28 80 (17) 91 (13) 83 (13) 107 (18) 142 (12)
14 Umpire 84 08:36 76 (19) 88 (16) 98 (16) 106 (16) 131 (17)
15 asaldanha 89 09:12 69 (20) 88 (23) 98 (15) 108 (16) 151 (15)
16 richard 64 09:47 78 (13) 89 (16) 88 (15) 112 (12) 157 (8)
17 markdobell 110 09:59 78 (25) 87 (24) 90 (22) 113 (21) 141 (18)
18 LoreleiBill 86 10:14 80 (22) 87 (18) 94 (14) 97 (18) 156 (14)
19 glheard 77 10:15 84 (19) 84 (18) 102 (13) 105 (17) 145 (10)
20 Ciolf 99 10:28 75 (20) 83 (21) 89 (18) 115 (20) 137 (20)
21 Deane Short 73 11:06 64 (17) 95 (14) 88 (16) 120 (17) 155 (9)
22 Kinghedger 103 11:14 69 (22) 86 (24) 79 (17) 102 (21) 167 (19)
23 keriothe_ 105 11:37 75 (23) 81 (22) 93 (19) 114 (22) 140 (19)
24 Groucho 83 11:48 80 (23) 87 (19) 92 (15) 124 (16) 140 (10)
25 David Crooks 80 11:49 85 (21) 102 (21) 100 (14) 106 (16) 117 (8)
26 Heyesey 88 11:49 71 (19) 85 (21) 89 (17) 113 (18) 159 (13)
27 lickert 93 11:54 79 (22) 95 (19) 95 (16) 106 (21) 130 (15)
28 neilr 79 11:57 89 (22) 90 (18) 88 (15) 110 (13) 140 (11)
29 Morphosis 64 12:06 98 (12) 88 (17) 96 (14) 109 (14) 121 (7)
30 andy 80 12:09 81 (18) 93 (21) 88 (18) 124 (13) 136 (10)
31 Amoeba89 107 12:15 80 (22) 79 (23) 75 (17) 96 (22) 161 (23)
32 miked1961 93 12:22 77 (21) 84 (19) 94 (19) 104 (18) 149 (16)
33 Tom Stubbs 112 12:25 82 (24) 82 (23) 89 (23) 100 (22) 151 (20)
34 chindit 103 12:33 66 (20) 89 (22) 90 (18) 108 (22) 141 (21)
35 scrabbler 62 12:41 74 (13) 90 (11) 91 (12) 98 (11) 137 (15)
36 philjordan1147 78 13:00 80 (17) 82 (17) 87 (12) 110 (18) 142 (14)
37 aphasic 77 13:07 86 (20) 96 (21) 97 (16) 111 (12) 128 (8)
38 chriswords 98 13:07 78 (22) 90 (22) 94 (21) 101 (20) 157 (13)
39 Silva 87 13:24 91 (20) 97 (23) 89 (17) 107 (18) 131 (9)
40 Sheapey 121 13:35 70 (24) 85 (26) 96 (25) 99 (24) 153 (22)
41 Secondbass 89 13:48 79 (19) 92 (19) 94 (19) 105 (20) 145 (12)
42 Topical Tim 98 13:50 69 (21) 83 (21) 79 (13) 109 (21) 147 (22)
43 EricK 114 13:50 75 (22) 85 (25) 95 (23) 94 (22) 150 (22)
44 MikeOsborne 108 13:51 76 (22) 85 (23) 90 (24) 106 (22) 155 (17)
45 Aybee 108 13:51 83 (23) 92 (17) 85 (23) 102 (24) 137 (21)
46 Ed freshpot 68 13:55 87 (18) 100 (14) 92 (14) 109 (16) 125 (6)
47 tilbee 94 13:56 73 (18) 88 (20) 90 (18) 106 (20) 140 (18)
48 JimboFS 82 14:07 77 (17) 88 (20) 96 (15) 113 (19) 138 (11)
49 March 95 14:22 73 (21) 79 (19) 88 (15) 106 (21) 152 (19)
50 Semillon 118 14:25 75 (25) 79 (26) 95 (23) 103 (22) 153 (22)
51 alexh 71 14:32 82 (15) 100 (17) 101 (14) 103 (14) 116 (11)
52 LouWeed 111 14:37 67 (23) 88 (25) 96 (22) 105 (21) 148 (20)
53 CentralLine 86 14:41 82 (19) 90 (22) 86 (15) 106 (18) 152 (12)
54 Stavros 97 14:44 73 (19) 86 (21) 83 (20) 118 (20) 142 (17)
55 7dPenguin 57 14:48 78 (13) 87 (14) 100 (11) 121 (12) 127 (7)
56 Looch 88 14:54 84 (19) 101 (21) 104 (17) 105 (21) 108 (10)
57 Tibthorpe 113 15:01 81 (24) 84 (24) 87 (21) 110 (22) 138 (22)
58 clarkeybaby 64 15:06 75 (13) 80 (14) 90 (12) 117 (13) 138 (12)
59 Pootle 82 15:22 75 (20) 83 (18) 92 (15) 103 (16) 164 (13)
60 Finzi 125 15:31 90 (24) 93 (26) 92 (25) 100 (25) 122 (25)
61 Paul Hammond 73 15:34 76 (17) 99 (19) 82 (13) 122 (12) 129 (12)
62 gabrojak 60 15:52 82 (14) 94 (13) 87 (12) 114 (13) 134 (8)
63 rob.rolfe42 52 15:59 81 (15) 86 (11) 98 (7) 120 (13) 127 (6)
64 benbush 78 16:05 74 (14) 83 (19) 87 (13) 98 (16) 152 (16)
65 Ben Staveley 85 16:08 76 (18) 81 (21) 74 (13) 125 (19) 148 (14)
66 franceslc11 81 16:15 71 (16) 74 (13) 92 (13) 102 (18) 140 (21)
67 andrewlake 122 16:15 77 (25) 91 (23) 98 (24) 110 (25) 121 (25)
68 RobR 61 16:17 78 (17) 94 (13) 98 (13) 121 (12) 134 (6)
69 DanSolo 77 17:18 76 (12) 82 (15) 95 (18) 110 (17) 130 (15)
70 Vannyx 61 17:19 76 (13) 83 (15) 98 (11) 104 (12) 151 (10)
71 Squallaby 92 17:19 80 (20) 87 (22) 93 (18) 111 (19) 141 (13)
72 phthisis 51 17:20 77 (10) 76 (11) 92 (9) 118 (12) 137 (9)
73 tapbarker 91 17:24 71 (22) 87 (15) 97 (15) 98 (18) 141 (21)
74 PGooden 73 17:26 77 (16) 96 (17) 92 (16) 115 (15) 134 (9)
75 cdb_100 87 17:41 63 (17) 89 (19) 77 (16) 122 (18) 145 (17)
76 Valance 65 17:57 71 (16) 78 (13) 76 (9) 126 (16) 148 (11)
77 rrricharrrd 85 17:58 70 (17) 78 (17) 78 (17) 112 (21) 174 (13)
78 Encota 76 18:20 79 (16) 85 (15) 92 (15) 106 (16) 140 (14)
79 hopkinb 55 18:30 90 (16) 80 (12) 90 (10) 114 (8) 141 (9)
80 LJCN 84 18:36 76 (14) 78 (18) 88 (15) 105 (20) 146 (17)
81 Dzhigit 82 18:42 87 (22) 92 (17) 93 (16) 114 (16) 124 (11)
82 Galspray 93 18:45 79 (18) 78 (19) 104 (20) 96 (21) 151 (15)
83 Zander 94 19:13 74 (22) 94 (17) 97 (19) 102 (20) 139 (16)
84 Achernar 84 19:15 84 (18) 89 (20) 90 (18) 117 (16) 132 (12)
85 Crossiant 71 19:21 61 (15) 66 (12) 90 (15) 97 (13) 171 (16)
86 Nangle 60 19:29 85 (16) 88 (14) 102 (14) 108 (10) 145 (6)
87 Anomalospiza 92 19:33 75 (21) 83 (21) 102 (13) 99 (20) 149 (17)
88 babka 40 19:36 63 (9) 69 (8) 105 (8) 94 (7) 170 (8)
89 Rowlie26 47 20:01 82 (14) 100 (10) 100 (11) 117 (6) 121 (6)
90 uvofiz 69 20:13 83 (17) 96 (16) 95 (13) 105 (13) 132 (10)
91 alwsn8 113 20:35 73 (24) 84 (23) 92 (21) 109 (23) 143 (22)
92 robinh 95 20:42 81 (22) 88 (17) 96 (20) 99 (15) 131 (21)
93 pc8 117 20:42 73 (22) 77 (24) 97 (24) 103 (23) 145 (24)
94 valerian1967 80 20:49 77 (15) 80 (18) 94 (13) 88 (17) 156 (17)
95 Aldus 81 20:50 84 (20) 90 (18) 91 (15) 114 (15) 129 (13)
96 daniel.faith 62 20:53 72 (13) 78 (15) 79 (10) 120 (9) 146 (15)
97 GMcD 110 20:58 75 (22) 88 (24) 84 (24) 104 (20) 155 (20)
98 Colin2355 56 21:07 74 (6) 93 (19) 93 (12) 94 (9) 139 (10)
99 Zabadak3 109 21:15 75 (22) 87 (26) 94 (21) 96 (16) 143 (24)
100 gsriordan52 70 21:40 80 (17) 93 (17) 99 (12) 118 (17) 118 (7)
101 The Caffeine Kid 83 21:46 82 (15) 87 (19) 98 (21) 107 (14) 130 (14)
102 mjsaunders9 99 22:00 83 (22) 73 (19) 84 (20) 106 (18) 152 (20)
103 george.garlick 76 22:07 81 (21) 98 (16) 97 (15) 124 (14) 110 (10)
104 Willie F 93 22:21 76 (20) 97 (18) 90 (17) 102 (19) 132 (19)
105 dr.shred 62 22:23 74 (16) 86 (12) 100 (11) 107 (15) 156 (8)
106 Tudds 84 22:30 84 (23) 90 (21) 101 (18) 113 (14) 143 (8)
107 UisceTe 49 22:44 82 (12) 87 (15) 87 (6) 101 (7) 151 (9)
108 Rod B 96 22:53 71 (21) 79 (19) 90 (19) 122 (19) 140 (18)
109 James P 88 23:16 59 (16) 79 (21) 96 (20) 101 (14) 166 (17)
110 goblin 124 23:27 82 (25) 88 (26) 95 (26) 105 (24) 132 (23)
111 Corymbia 92 24:32 81 (16) 79 (20) 90 (18) 98 (17) 143 (21)
112 infinitejest 57 24:37 75 (17) 92 (11) 90 (10) 128 (12) 135 (7)
113 Mkgnao 72 25:45 99 (20) 87 (19) 93 (14) 105 (9) 129 (10)
114 JoeyC 47 25:58 71 (14) 102 (9) 85 (12) 125 (6) 167 (6)
115 Deezzaa 90 26:01 82 (21) 97 (21) 92 (18) 110 (19) 133 (11)
116 Brenk 77 26:09 75 (20) 95 (19) 81 (15) 127 (14) 151 (9)
117 Yatton50 45 26:12 83 (11) 89 (9) 91 (8) 105 (9) 137 (8)
118 rjcassidy 81 26:32 73 (18) 84 (19) 89 (13) 114 (16) 145 (15)
119 Mike Harper 100 27:07 76 (22) 93 (24) 88 (20) 123 (19) 129 (15)
120 Jamie Fox 83 27:38 68 (18) 84 (19) 83 (13) 109 (17) 156 (16)
121 crosswordian 55 27:53 75 (9) 79 (8) 96 (10) 104 (14) 124 (14)
122 ulaca 85 27:54 76 (24) 89 (19) 84 (17) 111 (15) 185 (10)
123 Manveru 77 28:24 88 (24) 87 (23) 99 (15) 100 (7) 170 (8)
124 En Cee 46 28:26 71 (9) 83 (10) 106 (8) 96 (10) 145 (9)
125 Snorter 76 28:28 67 (14) 87 (19) 97 (14) 114 (16) 137 (13)
126 JohnDun 78 28:31 74 (16) 77 (14) 81 (16) 106 (16) 156 (16)
127 eniamretrauq 42 28:33 75 (11) 97 (11) 100 (8) 115 (6) 131 (6)
128 chris661554 81 28:33 73 (17) 88 (18) 92 (11) 94 (18) 148 (17)
129 NAPASAI 51 28:54 77 (12) 110 (15) 89 (9) 107 (9) 122 (6)
130 MichelinPoitiers 62 28:54 70 (16) 91 (15) 118 (9) 129 (9) 113 (13)
131 Hamish.S 99 29:00 60 (25) 67 (22) 73 (19) 124 (19) 225 (14)
132 David Luke 63 29:20 71 (11) 89 (9) 83 (12) 101 (16) 139 (15)
133 Dr_Bob 70 29:24 82 (17) 91 (18) 106 (17) 111 (8) 124 (10)
134 nekabue 71 29:34 79 (16) 78 (15) 101 (15) 98 (13) 153 (12)
135 Balawo 54 29:38 83 (12) 83 (7) 101 (11) 92 (12) 132 (12)
136 intentional rounding 83 30:18 76 (12) 78 (20) 91 (17) 110 (16) 137 (18)
137 rv_1 84 30:53 78 (19) 96 (23) 79 (12) 107 (17) 147 (13)
138 Grumpole 56 31:05 75 (15) 92 (15) 95 (12) 120 (6) 151 (8)
139 barracuda 71 31:37 75 (12) 88 (15) 95 (13) 102 (13) 127 (18)
140 The Real Steve Snackman 115 32:04 68 (24) 89 (21) 98 (24) 106 (24) 138 (22)
141 gbestanley 71 32:07 86 (14) 95 (17) 98 (14) 108 (16) 114 (10)
142 Mudge 83 32:22 61 (14) 79 (17) 94 (15) 102 (18) 148 (19)
143 BertieVII 67 33:46 88 (18) 86 (15) 104 (14) 116 (13) 117 (7)
144 RogerC 60 34:14 72 (10) 83 (10) 99 (14) 97 (12) 134 (14)
145 vinyl12345 83 34:52 68 (17) 90 (25) 91 (12) 119 (16) 142 (13)
146 E Bradford 94 35:36 77 (21) 93 (18) 105 (21) 106 (18) 122 (16)
147 Peloton 72 36:13 68 (16) 78 (13) 94 (11) 99 (17) 156 (15)
148 kapietro 56 36:39 71 (14) 86 (9) 94 (11) 100 (12) 157 (10)
149 Bossbutbee 61 37:00 78 (13) 90 (17) 96 (13) 109 (12) 161 (6)
150 koro 110 37:30 75 (23) 86 (24) 96 (21) 99 (21) 145 (21)
151 laurence_da 84 38:10 59 (17) 60 (16) 75 (16) 122 (20) 183 (15)
152 starstruck 95 38:11 83 (20) 80 (21) 90 (18) 98 (16) 146 (20)
153 Shushannah 101 38:52 80 (20) 92 (21) 93 (19) 99 (20) 132 (21)
154 Steve Wood 104 40:46 76 (21) 85 (23) 98 (21) 110 (20) 134 (19)
155 WordPlodder 116 41:09 71 (23) 84 (23) 83 (23) 95 (22) 159 (25)
156 CoxBurglar 54 44:27 68 (13) 78 (12) 107 (12) 124 (10) 148 (7)
157 Dr Dolittle 64 45:01 47 (11) 75 (17) 98 (9) 99 (16) 191 (11)
158 Mike Mansbridge 40 57:37 38 (6) 61 (6) 85 (10) 226 (6) 98 (12)
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