Quick SNITCH

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

Times Quick Cryptic Crossword 2959

Date 10 April 2025
Number 2959
Setter Orpheus
Day of week Thursday
NITCH 77
Count of ref solvers 75
Ref solvers excluded with errors 3
Link to crossword View Crossword*
Times for the Times Link 2959

* Requires access to the Times Crossword Club

Detailed solving results

Reference, Tracked and Blog solvers with error-free solutions to this puzzle are shown below.

We also show the solver's Personal NITCH, which is their result on this puzzle compared to their average time, and the Wavelength Index of Times Cryptic Hardness, the WITCH, which is the Personal NITCH compared to the SNITCH.

Name TfTT Name Average time This time Personal NITCH WITCH
cmjhutton 02:17 02:25 105 136
Paul Gilbert 02:23 01:45 73 94
mauefw 02:30 01:46 70 90
Jason 02:35 01:43 66 85
verlaine 02:38 02:24 91 118
mistigris 02:40 02:11 81 105
hilarym 02:47 01:50 65 84
aphis99 aphis99 02:53 02:44 94 122
Magoo 02:54 02:10 74 96
Flimmy flammy 03:14 02:19 71 92
Ciolf 03:42 04:54 132 171
markdobell 03:42 03:18 89 115
Sheapey Sheapey 03:44 02:50 75 97
Heyesey 03:47 04:20 114 148
AlanS 04:01 03:32 87 112
glheard 04:08 04:57 119 154
SimonAnthony 04:09 03:10 76 98
Amoeba89 04:09 02:49 67 87
Kinghedger 04:11 03:25 81 105
Topical Tim Topical Tim 04:16 03:32 82 106
MikeOsborne 04:19 03:21 77 100
Deane Short 04:21 03:17 75 97
lickert 04:23 03:22 76 98
chindit 04:29 03:26 76 98
Roscoe 04:29 04:05 91 118
MK76 04:36 05:28 118 153
philjordan1147 BUSMAN 04:37 04:46 103 133
John Walsh 04:37 04:45 102 132
Tom Stubbs Tom Stubbs 04:43 04:11 88 114
alexh 04:46 03:22 70 90
tilbee 04:48 03:09 65 84
LouWeed LouWeed 04:49 04:46 98 127
Bluejacket 04:50 03:14 66 85
lucyg43484 04:50 04:00 82 106
Liari 04:52 04:28 91 118
Paul Bacon 04:53 04:28 91 118
andrewlake 04:54 03:46 76 98
scrabbler 04:55 03:49 77 100
canismiser 04:55 04:11 85 110
Freemers 04:55 04:07 83 107
cdb_100 04:57 04:01 81 105
LuckOfLucien 04:59 04:17 85 110
andy 05:01 04:51 96 124
tiggis 05:01 04:22 87 112
EricK 05:02 04:31 89 115
McBeakLives 05:03 04:08 81 105
footballblue 05:06 04:22 85 110
JayEm 05:09 04:26 86 111
March 05:10 03:38 70 90
Ed freshpot 05:12 04:20 83 107
Jon Delfin 05:13 04:55 94 122
7dPenguin 7dPenguin 05:16 03:49 72 93
fshephe 05:18 05:17 99 128
Tibthorpe 05:20 04:43 88 114
ChuckB 05:21 04:29 83 107
pitcaithlie Pitcaithlie 05:25 04:13 77 100
Squallaby 05:25 03:57 72 93
nina s 05:25 05:27 100 129
Aly Duncan 05:26 04:23 80 103
cmcnsmith 05:34 04:54 88 114
Adelaider 05:36 03:49 68 88
AndyKnott321 05:36 05:31 98 127
esmeralda 05:36 03:21 59 76
Finzi 05:39 04:48 84 109
Riche Riche 05:39 04:14 74 96
drginacoco 05:41 01:13 21 27
GeorgeTz 05:42 05:37 98 127
fishernick79 05:43 04:36 80 103
Rabbitoh galspray 05:46 04:04 70 90
Looch 05:49 03:56 67 87
rrricharrrd 05:49 03:24 58 75
mcrossib1 05:50 04:58 85 110
Encota 05:54 04:32 76 98
whichcraft 05:54 04:16 72 93
RobR RobR 05:55 04:37 78 101
Rosron 05:57 05:17 88 114
chriswestontour 05:57 06:01 101 131
andrewfeist96 06:04 06:11 101 131
Streaky Bacon 06:05 04:28 73 94
PGooden 06:17 04:27 70 90
hopkinb hopkinb 06:18 05:14 83 107
ramf 06:22 05:42 89 115
Adrian Cobb 06:29 05:21 82 106
Kalakuta72 06:29 04:53 75 97
Shabbo 06:31 05:04 77 100
Dzhigit 06:33 04:37 70 90
GMcD 06:46 04:45 70 90
Onelug 06:51 07:44 112 145
Tudds 06:53 04:44 68 88
Michael Dove 06:59 07:48 111 144
Kevin Gregg Kevin Gregg 07:00 07:43 110 142
earlylight 07:06 05:46 81 105
hazyfantazee 07:09 04:52 68 88
robinh 07:10 06:57 96 124
James P 07:12 04:37 64 83
Gussie 07:18 05:07 70 90
Nangle 07:19 05:22 73 94
dr.shred 07:24 04:35 61 79
Puzzleplease 07:25 04:49 64 83
moirconsult 07:25 02:53 38 49
DianeRS 07:27 06:19 84 109
Dvynys Dvynys 07:32 05:16 69 89
Mike Harper Mike Harper 07:35 05:39 74 96
td349 07:37 08:40 113 146
valerian1967 07:38 04:41 61 79
DamienKnapma 07:38 05:50 76 98
Corymbia Corymbia 07:41 05:02 65 84
Desdeeloeste Desdeeloeste 07:46 08:19 107 138
mjwiseman 07:55 05:34 70 90
1234 07:55 07:06 89 115
Jamie Fox 07:57 04:16 53 68
Aldus 08:14 06:16 76 98
John Arnold 08:19 07:40 92 119
Rowleyrag 08:22 08:29 101 131
OldSolver 08:26 05:45 68 88
plett11 Plett11 08:27 06:36 78 101
vefatica vefatica 08:33 11:19 132 171
Templar Redux Templar 08:41 07:55 91 118
goblin 08:41 07:05 81 105
ulaca ulaca 08:42 07:20 84 109
Jeeves 08:43 07:07 81 105
crucihacker 08:43 07:08 81 105
vinyl12345 vinyl1 08:44 06:38 75 97
Calculator001 08:47 09:37 109 141
johndun John Dunleavy 08:50 05:38 63 81
kath 08:54 06:57 78 101
mjsaunders9 08:56 07:22 82 106
Cuppa378 08:56 08:30 95 123
Edprof 09:00 05:55 65 84
Rosey6 09:01 07:16 80 103
Mkgnao Mkgnao 09:15 07:07 76 98
Coffell 09:35 06:42 69 89
raincloud 09:38 08:45 90 116
MichelinPoitiers 09:43 09:14 95 123
Deezzaa Deezzaa 09:45 04:38 47 61
ofarrell 09:46 07:38 78 101
alex.scordellis 09:54 04:34 46 59
Word Psmith 10:13 08:06 79 102
richardCV22 10:15 06:31 63 81
f4rch 10:22 06:09 59 76
piltdown man 10:23 06:28 62 80
russellcannon 10:32 07:32 71 92
alexngbr 10:33 10:06 95 123
Pendrov 10:39 06:44 63 81
Mike Mansbridge 11:05 05:31 49 63
TonyN6 11:07 09:48 88 114
phatman 11:09 10:10 91 118
paul.verney 11:13 11:30 102 132
simjt simjt 11:22 07:30 65 84
Cedric Statherby 11:29 08:18 72 93
maisiemae 11:37 09:31 81 105
E Bradford E Bradford 11:45 06:40 56 72
symbenall2 12:09 09:07 75 97
youngbaz 12:10 19:07 157 203
Captain Burnaby 12:13 07:03 57 74
alistair.boere 12:17 12:16 99 128
WordPlodder BletchleyReject 12:21 09:35 77 100
BertieVII 12:21 07:58 64 83
rlowin2 12:23 08:00 64 83
martinr486 12:41 07:34 59 76
Sonofjim 12:55 10:50 83 107
flashman flashman 13:01 07:00 53 68
tyrotim tyrotim 13:08 07:27 56 72
ifincham2 13:08 13:28 102 132
kapietro kapietro 13:09 07:34 57 74
The Real Steve Snackman 13:17 13:04 98 127
Rammy Trainor 13:21 16:44 125 162
chabuduo chabuduo 13:23 07:48 58 75
nick.wilson 13:47 10:14 74 96
MichaelE 14:32 09:27 65 84
Mendes Mendesest 14:34 11:42 80 103
Merlin_55 Merlin 14:59 11:02 73 94
Charpentier 15:01 17:06 113 146
horners1974 Jonathan Hornby 15:11 12:06 79 102
kfb20 15:54 12:12 76 98
domski 15:55 09:23 58 75
Mark from Ipswich 16:04 11:36 72 93
Steve Wood 16:17 11:43 71 92
david.14587 16:50 08:03 47 61
tomtom2 17:02 15:34 91 118
140 Mandak 262 Jamuna 17:25 11:54 68 88
New Driver 18:29 12:08 65 84
TonyK 19:42 13:33 68 88
ian.shepherd 20:48 14:16 68 88
bangsar DearHector 21:07 15:25 73 94
maryht 21:14 12:49 60 77
pfalloon 22:05 10:00 45 58
anderson1965 22:16 12:16 55 71
Tired_commuter Tired_commuter 22:44 20:31 90 116
thechan 22:47 17:04 74 96
Pompeydave 22:52 26:30 115 149
paulmcl 23:08 10:09 43 55
pamelalewis51 23:18 14:53 63 81
Dofray 24:00 13:26 55 71
Jilks 24:29 14:28 59 76
Aresbiscuits 29:09 21:45 74 96
IanV IanV 32:41 33:00 100 129
dave 34:27 45:48 132 171
shankar 36:18 85:07 234 303
revolting tonic 41:12 33:37 81 105
mcfarl 46:42 62:41 134 174

A guide to the solver status

Legend
 Reference solver used for SNITCH
 Other Reference solver
 Tracked solver
 Blog solver

Blog Solvers

Blog Solvers are those who have allowed their times to be taken from the Times for the Times blog.

Notes for Blog Solvers:

  • the most reliable format for reporting times is with format "mm:ss" or as "x minutes" in the title or at the start of the entry
  • only the first main comment for each blogger is used; responses to other comments or a second comment is ignored
  • to report errors, include "n errors" just after the time
  • If you just have a time it is assumed you have no errors unless you mention DNF or pink squares or giving up, etc, in the text
  • Examples of good time notifications are "38:30, 0 errors" and "39 minutes, 0 errors" in the comment title or as the first part of your comment

Notes

The definition of Reference and Tracked solvers is described on the Neutrinos page.

The results for Reference solvers are normally used to calcuate the SNITCH. When this happens they are shown in the list with a solid blue line to the left. In the previous SNITCH results listing for each crossword, these were the only entries shown.

The most common causes for Reference solver results not to be used are: (a) that they did not meet the criteria this month to be used as a reference (e.g. they may not have completed enough puzzles on each day of the week) or (b) they have been pushed out of the top 100 on the leader board. In these cases, the results are now shown, but their data is not used for the SNITCH calculation.

Where there is data for Tracked solvers, I show them also in this table. The solving data is not always available, as the Crossword Club site only shows the top 100 solvers to everyone. Logged-in users get their own leaderboard position and those around them, but this is not available to everyone. So the SNITCH site only gets data for those who have made the top 100 in the leaderboard at some point during the day.

As a result there are a few geographically advantaged solvers; those of us who solve early in the day (e.g. we in the Antipodes, those in Asia and those staying up late in North America) are more likely to hit the leaderboard even with slower times. Solvers who are just as capable but solve later in the UK day might not make the top 100 and I have no way to capture their results.

You may wonder why there are Tracked solvers (in red) with low average solving times, mixed in with the Reference solvers (in blue). These are usually those that, while they don't seem to be Neutrinos, are not well aligned to the SNITCH. So I don't use them as Reference solvers in the SNITCH calculation, but still show their overall results.

You might also notice that there's some inconsistency at the tail end of the Reference solver list. My cutoff point is an average solving time of 45 minutes. But if someone around this mark is chosen as a Reference solver, their next month's results might end up being over 45 minutes and they will still be used. Alternatively, a Tracked solver might creep in under 45 minutes on the next calculation, but didn't make the cut for the prior Reference list. It's on the to-do list to see if I can make this a bit more predictable.

Stored SNITCH Values

Here are the SNITCH values (stored on the day) from the crossword.

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