Quick SNITCH

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

Reference solvers for January 2026

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 51 01:56 93 (14) 99 (9) 102 (11) 88 (6) 112 (11)
2 Paul Gilbert 126 02:07 85 (26) 96 (25) 105 (24) 102 (26) 111 (25)
3 cmjhutton 105 02:09 88 (22) 100 (20) 103 (22) 101 (22) 106 (19)
4 lili 131 02:14 85 (27) 97 (27) 104 (26) 98 (26) 115 (25)
5 Jason 120 02:32 82 (21) 98 (27) 100 (25) 97 (24) 118 (23)
6 mistigris 112 02:34 85 (22) 101 (21) 106 (24) 104 (22) 101 (23)
7 Magoo 112 02:37 86 (22) 96 (21) 103 (21) 96 (23) 116 (25)
8 verlaine 129 02:37 88 (26) 101 (26) 102 (24) 98 (27) 108 (26)
9 hilarym 103 02:46 90 (25) 100 (25) 101 (21) 103 (18) 112 (14)
10 aphis99 128 02:47 82 (27) 95 (26) 107 (24) 101 (26) 115 (25)
11 HoneyBadger 129 03:03 87 (23) 97 (26) 100 (26) 102 (27) 110 (27)
12 Flimmy flammy 126 03:08 83 (26) 97 (25) 101 (24) 101 (27) 117 (24)
13 Ciolf 114 03:15 84 (21) 100 (25) 99 (21) 98 (24) 114 (23)
14 Askival 43 03:17 76 (8) 90 (9) 113 (8) 94 (8) 121 (10)
15 Amoeba89 126 03:17 83 (25) 97 (26) 110 (24) 94 (27) 113 (24)
16 markdobell 123 03:26 89 (24) 94 (25) 103 (25) 102 (25) 110 (24)
17 richard 77 03:33 87 (16) 98 (18) 103 (18) 101 (17) 115 (8)
18 Wizard of Aus 62 03:35 85 (10) 100 (12) 104 (17) 98 (16) 114 (7)
19 Heyesey 112 03:39 90 (25) 99 (23) 98 (19) 100 (23) 111 (22)
20 Deane Short 99 03:48 92 (21) 89 (15) 108 (22) 96 (21) 108 (20)
21 SimonAnthony 122 03:49 85 (23) 97 (27) 106 (24) 100 (25) 111 (23)
22 Kinghedger 115 03:55 87 (25) 97 (24) 100 (21) 106 (23) 109 (22)
23 glheard 95 03:59 86 (21) 100 (15) 104 (19) 95 (22) 116 (18)
24 MikeOsborne 107 04:06 88 (22) 96 (22) 100 (22) 102 (22) 114 (19)
25 EricK 126 04:10 82 (25) 99 (23) 100 (26) 102 (27) 115 (25)
26 Bluejacket 94 04:16 87 (18) 94 (19) 98 (19) 108 (18) 110 (20)
27 Topical Tim 110 04:16 89 (23) 91 (21) 104 (21) 105 (23) 108 (22)
28 lickert 125 04:18 92 (26) 89 (25) 100 (24) 105 (25) 112 (25)
29 JayEm 99 04:25 86 (18) 98 (21) 101 (18) 101 (23) 112 (19)
30 philjordan1147 114 04:25 86 (24) 100 (25) 99 (20) 98 (23) 115 (22)
31 andrewlake 121 04:25 88 (27) 112 (20) 95 (24) 100 (23) 106 (27)
32 cdb_100 91 04:26 84 (21) 92 (20) 116 (15) 102 (19) 112 (16)
33 tiggis 64 04:29 89 (13) 98 (18) 108 (9) 90 (11) 114 (13)
34 tilbee 96 04:29 89 (21) 97 (19) 105 (21) 101 (17) 108 (18)
35 Morphosis 52 04:31 93 (14) 97 (10) 105 (11) 101 (7) 105 (10)
36 canismiser 77 04:32 93 (20) 95 (16) 106 (14) 101 (15) 105 (12)
37 Aybee 127 04:33 84 (26) 101 (26) 101 (26) 104 (24) 109 (25)
38 morleyterrier 50 04:34 89 (10) 100 (10) 101 (9) 97 (11) 111 (10)
39 chindit 116 04:36 94 (22) 93 (23) 103 (24) 100 (25) 107 (22)
40 Tom Stubbs 125 04:40 87 (26) 101 (26) 99 (24) 102 (25) 110 (24)
41 Jon Delfin 128 04:40 81 (25) 94 (27) 103 (24) 107 (26) 113 (26)
42 Freemers1968 84 04:43 81 (19) 95 (16) 92 (15) 130 (18) 100 (16)
43 alexh 117 04:44 85 (26) 96 (23) 105 (24) 106 (25) 108 (19)
44 March 122 04:45 89 (26) 100 (23) 104 (24) 98 (24) 107 (25)
45 benbush 48 04:46 87 (12) 97 (9) 101 (11) 104 (10) 117 (6)
46 rrricharrrd 104 04:46 78 (24) 98 (17) 99 (21) 106 (24) 122 (18)
47 LouWeed 114 04:46 85 (26) 88 (22) 106 (25) 105 (25) 121 (16)
48 scrabbler 56 04:47 88 (12) 98 (11) 108 (11) 90 (10) 113 (12)
49 ram80 72 04:47 88 (11) 103 (13) 108 (17) 96 (14) 99 (17)
50 MK76 106 04:49 84 (23) 104 (19) 101 (22) 101 (23) 111 (19)
51 Liari 41 04:50 85 (10) 108 (11) 106 (6) 109 (6) 94 (8)
52 Ed freshpot 105 04:50 87 (23) 96 (23) 98 (20) 109 (20) 111 (19)
53 lucyg43484 112 04:50 81 (24) 99 (22) 97 (21) 107 (22) 115 (23)
54 Freemers 36 04:51 80 (8) 97 (7) 104 (7) 100 (7) 120 (7)
55 The Dabbler 79 04:51 95 (18) 100 (16) 101 (18) 102 (14) 100 (13)
56 andy 118 04:57 87 (22) 87 (23) 105 (24) 106 (26) 111 (23)
57 Riche 85 04:59 92 (22) 97 (15) 97 (16) 102 (17) 112 (15)
58 babka 74 05:04 79 (17) 100 (14) 102 (14) 101 (13) 118 (16)
59 neilr 99 05:05 86 (20) 97 (22) 105 (21) 102 (22) 110 (14)
60 Squallaby 119 05:07 87 (24) 96 (24) 99 (23) 104 (24) 112 (24)
61 Zander 113 05:08 83 (24) 106 (25) 105 (21) 94 (23) 112 (20)
62 Paul Hammond 80 05:10 83 (16) 98 (16) 102 (14) 102 (16) 112 (18)
63 dr.shred 68 05:11 84 (16) 90 (14) 107 (10) 109 (13) 112 (15)
64 Vannyx 84 05:11 90 (19) 92 (17) 113 (15) 102 (18) 104 (15)
65 lyndaw 60 05:12 87 (15) 98 (10) 98 (13) 106 (12) 115 (10)
66 Rabbitoh 97 05:12 89 (20) 90 (20) 106 (20) 102 (20) 113 (17)
67 AndyKnott321 48 05:13 89 (11) 101 (8) 103 (11) 98 (9) 108 (9)
68 Streaky Bacon 91 05:13 92 (19) 99 (19) 97 (20) 104 (20) 109 (13)
69 Anomalospiza 104 05:13 83 (22) 96 (20) 105 (22) 100 (19) 114 (21)
70 Tibthorpe 109 05:14 91 (26) 104 (20) 97 (23) 102 (19) 107 (21)
71 ChuckB 54 05:15 90 (15) 102 (12) 101 (8) 106 (11) 104 (8)
72 7dPenguin 114 05:19 84 (27) 93 (18) 105 (20) 99 (26) 119 (23)
73 mcrossib1 39 05:21 93 (8) 91 (10) 109 (6) 94 (7) 115 (8)
74 thewanderingeditor 44 05:23 79 (12) 103 (9) 96 (6) 113 (10) 113 (7)
75 chriswestontour 63 05:24 95 (17) 101 (14) 97 (13) 104 (11) 106 (8)
76 cmcnsmith 56 05:28 98 (15) 99 (11) 100 (14) 97 (9) 104 (7)
77 SBQuick 38 05:31 93 (8) 106 (8) 101 (8) 103 (8) 95 (6)
78 nina s 83 05:32 83 (15) 103 (16) 103 (17) 106 (18) 101 (17)
79 KarenR 97 05:32 78 (17) 89 (22) 105 (21) 105 (18) 120 (19)
80 esmeralda 93 05:35 82 (19) 93 (21) 110 (20) 106 (16) 108 (17)
81 Looch 113 05:35 86 (22) 96 (22) 109 (22) 99 (24) 108 (23)
82 Encota 90 05:37 91 (13) 95 (19) 106 (23) 97 (18) 105 (17)
83 KET 62 05:43 91 (16) 95 (17) 113 (13) 95 (9) 112 (7)
84 Carol 53 05:46 82 (15) 97 (8) 104 (7) 97 (11) 123 (12)
85 Onelug 68 05:48 84 (18) 97 (13) 114 (18) 106 (7) 101 (12)
86 andrewfeist96 77 05:48 84 (16) 87 (15) 102 (14) 104 (18) 123 (14)
87 Mike C 86 05:48 84 (17) 97 (17) 103 (17) 102 (20) 113 (15)
88 Finzi 129 05:50 90 (26) 102 (26) 100 (25) 102 (26) 105 (26)
89 julian_w 87 05:53 88 (16) 102 (21) 101 (16) 95 (17) 110 (17)
90 Shabbo 56 05:55 85 (12) 91 (14) 100 (10) 114 (13) 112 (7)
91 paul.whitehouse69 69 06:03 90 (17) 102 (14) 104 (15) 101 (13) 102 (10)
92 Crossiant 99 06:03 84 (16) 95 (21) 98 (17) 101 (23) 114 (22)
93 hopkinb 107 06:03 82 (24) 97 (20) 110 (21) 106 (21) 106 (21)
94 Rosron 54 06:08 81 (11) 100 (8) 102 (14) 108 (11) 106 (10)
95 Tudds 110 06:12 88 (21) 99 (24) 99 (23) 102 (21) 110 (21)
96 PGooden 95 06:21 82 (20) 100 (20) 98 (17) 99 (19) 119 (19)
97 Dzhigit 111 06:22 82 (22) 95 (21) 99 (24) 102 (23) 121 (21)
98 Michael Dove 49 06:23 92 (12) 95 (11) 99 (10) 112 (10) 102 (6)
99 mjsaunders9 115 06:27 83 (24) 100 (22) 103 (23) 102 (21) 109 (25)
100 James P 104 06:28 84 (20) 94 (21) 104 (19) 101 (23) 115 (21)
101 Adrian Cobb 74 06:30 92 (13) 94 (16) 100 (14) 103 (19) 111 (12)
102 Jamie Fox 115 06:31 88 (23) 98 (23) 109 (23) 92 (23) 111 (23)
103 mw7000 46 06:34 62 (9) 114 (9) 94 (9) 79 (12) 171 (7)
104 jimwetzler 69 06:36 82 (16) 95 (14) 104 (13) 105 (12) 115 (14)
105 janesa 48 06:44 97 (14) 88 (10) 103 (11) 110 (7) 106 (6)
106 GMcD 99 06:44 82 (19) 94 (20) 104 (21) 101 (18) 115 (21)
107 The Caffeine Kid 67 06:46 86 (14) 91 (16) 92 (14) 105 (9) 127 (14)
108 uvofiz 98 06:47 87 (19) 94 (18) 104 (20) 98 (21) 114 (20)
109 valerian1967 55 06:52 90 (12) 91 (10) 105 (12) 103 (12) 108 (9)
110 Kevin Gregg 69 06:53 84 (17) 101 (18) 107 (11) 102 (13) 111 (10)
111 DamienKnapma 93 06:58 91 (20) 94 (19) 96 (19) 103 (17) 115 (18)
112 Puzzleplease 93 07:01 84 (18) 96 (21) 104 (20) 100 (17) 114 (17)
113 Dvynys 91 07:07 83 (17) 92 (17) 107 (19) 97 (17) 114 (21)
114 raincloud 57 07:08 68 (13) 88 (11) 131 (11) 94 (13) 129 (9)
115 Nangle 68 07:08 79 (13) 102 (12) 111 (14) 94 (13) 109 (16)
116 Corymbia 89 07:12 78 (17) 96 (14) 101 (19) 101 (19) 117 (20)
117 Solving slo mo 53 07:14 102 (8) 104 (11) 82 (9) 102 (15) 104 (10)
118 mjwiseman 61 07:15 81 (13) 97 (13) 97 (11) 104 (11) 118 (13)
119 ilan 76 07:18 86 (13) 93 (13) 105 (17) 100 (15) 108 (18)
120 endafk 54 07:19 76 (9) 104 (14) 109 (11) 94 (9) 108 (11)
121 Jamescheck 44 07:20 80 (10) 87 (9) 122 (8) 103 (10) 115 (7)
122 earlylight 47 07:20 76 (11) 95 (9) 100 (9) 109 (8) 121 (10)
123 Desdeeloeste 85 07:26 82 (18) 106 (21) 100 (16) 96 (15) 114 (15)
124 cerid 39 07:29 85 (9) 106 (9) 96 (6) 107 (7) 104 (8)
125 intentional rounding 86 07:30 86 (15) 94 (16) 96 (19) 112 (18) 108 (18)
126 Mike Harper 112 07:33 78 (22) 95 (24) 112 (25) 101 (19) 110 (22)
127 ChrisBrea 76 07:38 81 (15) 94 (14) 106 (15) 100 (13) 114 (19)
128 robinh 96 07:40 87 (17) 103 (15) 98 (20) 100 (21) 107 (23)
129 Templar Redux 114 07:40 82 (21) 99 (25) 104 (24) 98 (22) 113 (22)
130 plett11 118 07:43 82 (23) 96 (26) 98 (23) 107 (24) 115 (22)
131 nigel 52 07:46 82 (12) 95 (10) 111 (10) 99 (11) 117 (9)
132 1234 59 07:46 82 (14) 111 (12) 108 (15) 99 (12) 98 (6)
133 TomHerbert 46 07:47 81 (7) 88 (7) 104 (14) 108 (11) 106 (7)
134 docg 44 07:49 92 (8) 104 (12) 97 (11) 103 (6) 102 (7)
135 Rosey6 35 07:56 80 (6) 108 (6) 82 (7) 106 (9) 117 (7)
136 Cuppa378 45 07:59 76 (7) 89 (7) 104 (7) 100 (10) 113 (14)
137 ulaca 88 08:04 89 (16) 93 (17) 101 (17) 99 (19) 114 (19)
138 John Arnold 68 08:07 86 (13) 95 (15) 102 (12) 107 (15) 108 (13)
139 Married Admirer 49 08:12 92 (8) 98 (12) 97 (7) 95 (9) 110 (13)
140 johndun 110 08:13 87 (20) 93 (24) 100 (23) 103 (21) 114 (22)
141 mich_punk 58 08:19 81 (14) 97 (10) 114 (12) 100 (9) 108 (13)
142 vefatica 71 08:19 90 (18) 102 (17) 102 (11) 99 (13) 107 (12)
143 m5harp 70 08:23 83 (16) 86 (13) 98 (11) 107 (15) 122 (15)
144 mattindoha 84 08:28 89 (11) 90 (19) 103 (15) 97 (19) 113 (20)
145 crucihacker 72 08:33 97 (16) 91 (15) 89 (13) 100 (15) 123 (13)
146 Peloton 73 08:37 79 (11) 92 (13) 105 (16) 115 (15) 100 (18)
147 Jeeves 91 08:38 86 (18) 97 (17) 100 (19) 108 (19) 105 (18)
148 Troothful 34 08:39 79 (7) 92 (6) 115 (8) 90 (6) 115 (7)
149 Mudge 87 08:39 77 (17) 93 (15) 109 (18) 95 (16) 118 (21)
150 LiamD 80 08:42 67 (15) 88 (17) 102 (17) 104 (17) 140 (14)
151 nigelmzzz 86 08:42 77 (15) 96 (20) 100 (13) 96 (18) 122 (20)
152 goblin 104 08:44 89 (20) 97 (20) 104 (22) 101 (20) 105 (22)
153 gsriordan52 79 08:47 80 (14) 101 (17) 100 (18) 106 (17) 111 (13)
154 starstruck 82 08:51 84 (16) 94 (15) 97 (20) 98 (15) 124 (16)
155 vinyl12345 88 08:56 85 (16) 96 (19) 103 (17) 101 (21) 114 (15)
156 Word Psmith 38 08:59 97 (7) 98 (10) 105 (6) 95 (7) 103 (8)
157 timbo 57 09:01 79 (13) 93 (10) 121 (12) 106 (11) 99 (11)
158 E Bradford 57 09:05 82 (12) 103 (14) 119 (12) 100 (12) 88 (7)
159 Joseph T 59 09:06 80 (13) 88 (7) 108 (15) 102 (11) 114 (13)
160 Poff 44 09:16 92 (6) 102 (10) 84 (11) 81 (6) 127 (11)
161 Deezzaa 88 09:16 82 (18) 98 (15) 100 (18) 103 (18) 114 (19)
162 horners1974 55 09:20 89 (14) 102 (11) 102 (10) 94 (11) 116 (9)
163 johnusa 66 09:24 89 (16) 95 (14) 104 (13) 106 (14) 109 (9)
164 Mkgnao 73 09:26 80 (14) 92 (14) 101 (18) 112 (11) 112 (16)
165 Kernowdoc 37 09:32 84 (7) 96 (7) 115 (8) 105 (6) 97 (9)
166 crosswordian 51 09:33 79 (11) 80 (9) 107 (11) 106 (9) 122 (11)
167 martinr486 57 09:51 87 (13) 97 (9) 102 (15) 99 (9) 112 (11)
168 The Real Steve Snackman 90 10:04 79 (19) 102 (19) 102 (18) 100 (20) 121 (14)
169 Alias Noble 84 10:21 85 (14) 88 (18) 104 (17) 101 (16) 116 (19)
170 mpbthorpe 55 10:33 100 (14) 83 (10) 87 (8) 113 (12) 108 (11)
171 simjt 107 10:37 86 (20) 96 (22) 96 (21) 105 (23) 114 (21)
172 Sonofjim 55 10:38 96 (13) 99 (12) 100 (10) 91 (11) 115 (9)
173 Birdingbob 69 10:40 77 (13) 82 (12) 114 (15) 99 (13) 117 (16)
174 barracuda 55 10:41 86 (9) 95 (12) 106 (12) 90 (12) 120 (10)
175 chabuduo 107 10:47 83 (20) 97 (22) 91 (22) 98 (23) 130 (20)
176 Nuck_the_king 37 10:48 81 (7) 106 (6) 102 (9) 86 (8) 125 (7)
177 maisiemae 70 10:55 82 (14) 77 (13) 112 (14) 103 (14) 121 (15)
178 Muckypuppy 69 10:56 84 (16) 106 (14) 96 (12) 97 (15) 119 (12)
179 TonyN6 82 11:03 95 (16) 95 (19) 101 (21) 96 (13) 113 (13)
180 symbenall2 46 11:06 79 (10) 98 (11) 111 (7) 100 (7) 112 (11)
181 youngbaz 38 11:24 83 (8) 109 (8) 109 (7) 94 (8) 105 (7)
182 BertieVII 70 11:31 83 (16) 97 (11) 112 (15) 98 (15) 109 (13)
183 Mark from Ipswich 87 11:31 81 (17) 94 (16) 93 (19) 112 (17) 116 (18)
184 Dr. Memory 44 11:32 95 (12) 98 (8) 99 (7) 98 (8) 109 (9)
185 pfalloon 76 11:52 89 (16) 95 (12) 104 (18) 100 (17) 110 (13)
186 suethepotterer 69 11:54 91 (13) 98 (14) 105 (11) 96 (13) 106 (18)
187 WordPlodder 118 11:58 92 (23) 87 (24) 105 (23) 100 (24) 114 (24)
188 kapietro 95 12:03 83 (18) 94 (20) 107 (19) 105 (19) 107 (19)
189 david.14587 63 12:06 67 (16) 89 (12) 117 (11) 127 (13) 108 (11)
190 HCOONamatata 47 12:11 76 (12) 103 (11) 109 (9) 98 (8) 123 (7)
191 tyrotim 65 12:11 82 (12) 95 (11) 95 (12) 104 (18) 119 (12)
192 Steve Wood 82 12:12 88 (17) 84 (15) 105 (17) 100 (15) 118 (18)
193 Mendes 82 13:11 95 (15) 92 (18) 101 (18) 99 (16) 111 (15)
194 Solvitflav 56 14:27 68 (11) 102 (12) 105 (7) 112 (13) 109 (13)
195 kfb20 66 15:07 85 (12) 81 (13) 108 (12) 111 (16) 110 (13)
196 RPE10538 63 15:17 88 (11) 97 (14) 91 (15) 108 (15) 120 (8)
197 Guy Hatton 42 15:24 85 (6) 104 (10) 96 (7) 102 (10) 104 (9)
198 ian.shepherd 62 16:52 80 (13) 99 (14) 106 (11) 89 (10) 120 (14)
199 gimmicky 42 18:32 91 (8) 76 (6) 117 (8) 109 (7) 100 (13)
200 TonyK 64 18:33 89 (11) 98 (13) 103 (11) 102 (13) 103 (16)
201 Geldart 59 19:09 95 (11) 87 (9) 95 (11) 98 (14) 117 (14)
202 bangsar 64 19:27 85 (11) 89 (16) 95 (10) 106 (16) 123 (11)
203 tomtom2 71 20:33 60 (15) 85 (13) 166 (16) 75 (14) 105 (13)
204 jlloyd4424 42 21:13 76 (6) 105 (10) 109 (6) 106 (11) 96 (9)
205 thechan 41 22:26 52 (7) 168 (11) 83 (7) 81 (8) 78 (8)
206 shankar 42 24:41 70 (11) 90 (10) 96 (8) 140 (6) 128 (7)
207 revolting tonic 49 27:08 97 (13) 106 (6) 98 (6) 94 (13) 106 (11)
208 andybry 64 32:26 76 (13) 89 (11) 107 (12) 98 (14) 124 (14)
209 crossworder 85 44:32 80 (18) 84 (18) 105 (16) 108 (16) 123 (17)
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