Spencer Reid IQ: Criminal Minds' Genius vs a Real IQ Test
Spencer Reid's IQ is 187 in Criminal Minds, and the show also gives him an eidetic memory and a reading speed of 20,000 words a minute. The IQ number is canon, but it would be about 1 in 300 million on a real scale. The memory and speed-reading claims are where TV and science split hardest.
Reid's whole thing is memory. If yours feels like it deletes everything the second you close the tab, IQ Tester can show whether memory is really your weak spot and give you a daily drill for it. Find my weak spots
Spencer Reid's IQ in Criminal Minds
Here's what the show gives us:
- IQ of 187. It's stated in the series and is the most-quoted Spencer Reid IQ quote online.
- Eidetic memory. Reid can recall pages of text word for word.
- 20,000 words per minute. His reading speed is a running flex.
- Multiple PhDs and a young start as a BAU profiler.
So "what is Spencer Reid's IQ?" In the show, 187. How high is Spencer Reid's IQ compared with real people? That's where the maths comes in.
Eidetic memory: real or TV?
"Eidetic memory" is often used to mean photographic memory: seeing a page in your mind like a picture and reading off it later. Here's the careful version of what's known:
- Eidetic imagery (briefly "seeing" an image after it's gone) has been reported in a small number of children, and it tends to fade with age.
- A true adult photographic memory, where someone can recall any page perfectly, has never been convincingly shown in controlled studies.
- People with incredible memories do exist. Memory competitors memorize decks of cards in minutes, but they use trained techniques like the memory palace, not a camera in their head.
So Reid's eidetic memory is exaggerated. But memory skill is very real and very trainable.
Photographic memory real or fake: quick check
| Claim | Real? |
|---|---|
| Some people remember far more than others | Yes |
| Memory can be trained with techniques | Yes |
| Perfect recall of any page you glance at | No good evidence |
| Remembering everything forever with no effort | TV only |
20,000 words a minute? Speed reading checked
Most adults read somewhere around 200 to 400 words per minute for normal text. Reid claims roughly 50 to 100 times that.
A 2016 review led by psychologist Keith Rayner, "So Much to Read, So Little Time," published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, looked at speed reading and found a trade-off: when people read much faster than normal, their understanding drops. Your eyes and your brain's language processing have real limits.
So is speed reading real? You can get somewhat faster with practice and by skimming smartly. But 20,000 words a minute with full understanding? That's TV.
What actually helps you read faster
- Reading more (seriously, volume builds speed)
- Knowing more vocab, so you don't stall on words
- Skimming headings first to know what's coming
- Cutting distractions (no TikTok open in the other tab)
How rare Reid's IQ would be
IQ scores are usually set with an average of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. On a normal bell curve:
- 130 is roughly 1 in 44
- 145 is roughly 1 in 740
- 160 is roughly 1 in 32,000
- 187 is roughly 1 in 300 million
So what is Spencer Reid's IQ in real life terms? A 187 would be about 5.8 standard deviations above average. And like any extreme score, it can't really be measured, because tests run out of people to compare you to. Most standard tests lose precision somewhere around 145 to 160. IQ Tester, for example, uses a 58-142 scale.
Reid vs Sheldon: same number, different minds
Fun fact: Spencer Reid and Sheldon Cooper are both credited with an IQ of 187. Same number, completely different characters.
| Spencer Reid | Sheldon Cooper | |
|---|---|---|
| Show | Criminal Minds | The Big Bang Theory |
| Claimed IQ | 187 | 187 |
| Superpower | Memory and pattern spotting in cases | Theoretical physics |
| Social skills | Awkward but caring | Famously low EQ |
| Uses smarts for | Helping catch criminals | Mostly winning arguments |
That's a great reminder that an IQ number doesn't tell you who someone is. Reid is awkward but kind and works well on a team. Sheldon is... Sheldon. Read the full breakdown in our Sheldon Cooper IQ post.
What profiling actually needs
Is Spencer Reid really smart in real life terms? The character is, but real profiling and investigation depend on teamwork, evidence and experience far more than one person's raw IQ. Reid's best moments on the show are usually when he spots a pattern others missed, which is closer to L's style of reasoning (see our L Lawliet IQ breakdown).
Train memory the realistic way
You won't get a TV eidetic memory. You can get a noticeably better one. Here's how:
- Use the memory palace. Picture a place you know well (your bedroom, your walk to school). Put each thing you need to remember in a spot along the route. Walk through it in your head to recall.
- Chunk it. A phone number is easier as 3 chunks than 10 digits. Same with formulas and dates.
- Test yourself, don't reread. Flashcards and practice questions beat highlighting. Retrieval is what makes memories stick.
- Space it out. Review after a day, then a few days, then a week. Cramming the night before (whether it's revision in the UK or studying in the US and Canada) fades fast.
- Sleep on it. Sleep helps lock in what you learned. All-nighters are the anti-Reid move.
- Cut the multitasking. Your memory can't store what your attention never caught.
Here's the frustrating bit: you don't really know if your memory is the problem, or if it's focus, speed or something else, until something checks. IQ Tester's guides look for weak spots like memory, speed, patterns, mental math, verbal, logic and focus, then give you a short daily drill for the right one instead of a random brain game. Find my weak spots
Find out if memory is your weak spot
Spencer Reid's IQ is a TV superpower, but your own memory and reasoning are things you can actually check and train. IQ Tester gives you 20 untimed questions across number series, verbal analogy, logic and pattern, and saves your answers if you close the tab. The free result shows your score band and three of your four category strengths, and your guides give you a short daily drill. It's for entertainment, not a clinical assessment.
FAQ
What is Spencer Reid's IQ?
Spencer Reid's IQ is 187 in Criminal Minds. On a standard IQ scale, that would be roughly 1 in 300 million people, and real tests can't measure that high reliably.
Does Spencer Reid really have an eidetic memory?
In the show, yes. In real life, a perfect photographic memory in adults hasn't been convincingly shown. Some people have excellent memories, usually built through trained techniques.
Can you really read 20,000 words a minute?
No good evidence says anyone can read that fast with real understanding. Research on speed reading shows comprehension drops as speed goes way up. Typical adult reading speed is a few hundred words per minute.
How smart is Spencer Reid compared to Sheldon Cooper?
Both are credited with an IQ of 187. Reid's strengths are memory and pattern spotting in investigations, while Sheldon's are theoretical physics. Reid also has much better people skills.
How can I improve my memory like Spencer Reid?
Use the memory palace, chunk information, test yourself instead of rereading, space out your reviews and sleep well. These are realistic techniques that actually improve recall.