About the debate timer
Time every speech and cross-examination in a debate round. The display turns yellow at 1 minute and red at 30 seconds, then counts up in overtime so judges can see if a speaker runs over.
Common formats: Lincoln-Douglas uses a 6-minute affirmative constructive, 7-minute negative constructive, 3-minute cross-examinations and rebuttals of 4, 6 and 3 minutes. Policy debate uses 8-minute constructives, 3-minute cross-examinations and 5-minute rebuttals.
Recommended times
| Cross-ex (3) | 3 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rebuttal (4) | 4 minutes |
| Rebuttal (5) | 5 minutes |
| LD AC (6) | 6 minutes |
| LD NC (7) | 7 minutes |
| Policy constructive (8) | 8 minutes |
How to use the debate timer
- Choose a preset, or tap Edit time to type any hours, minutes and seconds.
- Press Start Timer (or the space bar). The finish time appears under the digits.
- Press Full screen to fill the screen — handy for classrooms, meetings and kitchens.
- At zero a short alarm plays and the timer counts overtime until you press Pause.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Space start / pause
- R reset
- F full screen
- M mute
Frequently asked questions
What are policy debate speech times?
Traditional policy debate: 8-minute constructives, 3-minute cross-examinations and 5-minute rebuttals, plus prep time set by the tournament (often 8–10 minutes per team).
What presets does the debate timer have?
Cross-ex (3) (3 minutes), Rebuttal (4) (4 minutes), Rebuttal (5) (5 minutes), LD AC (6) (6 minutes), LD NC (7) (7 minutes), Policy constructive (8) (8 minutes). Tap Edit time to set any other length.
Is it free, and do I need an app?
It is completely free with no sign-up or download. It works in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers.