Free · No signup · 4-min prep pool built in

Lincoln-Douglas debate timer with shared prep pool

Free, tournament-grade LD timer. Full NSDA speech order, 4-minute prep pool per debater, and real-time sync between the judge's phone and the debater's display.

Open timer — no signup See the speech order

Works on any phone, tablet, or laptop

Why LD judges use DebateClock

Most debate apps treat prep time as a per-speech countdown. That's not how Lincoln-Douglas works. In LD, each debater has a single 4-minute pool to draw from across the whole round — 30 seconds before one rebuttal, 90 seconds before another, whatever the strategy calls for.

DebateClock is built around that pool. When the judge taps Start Prep — Aff, the pool counts down on both the judge's controller and the debater's screen. Stop it, and the remaining time saves for next use. Start a speech, and active prep auto-pauses. It's how the format actually works.

Exact NSDA timings

All 7 speeches preloaded with correct durations. CX sections flagged so prep isn't accidentally drawn.

Judge + debater display

One room code, two devices. Judge controls from a phone, debater watches a full-screen countdown.

Visual phase cues

Green until 1 minute remaining, yellow at 1:00, red at 0:30, flashing at overtime. Bell tones optional.

Nothing stored, ever

Rooms are ephemeral. Close the tab and the session is gone. No account, no history, no tracking.

Lincoln-Douglas speech order

Standard NSDA speech order with prep pool allowances. DebateClock loads this automatically when you select Lincoln-Douglas.

#	Speech	Side	Time
01	Affirmative Constructive (AC)	AFF	6:00
02	Negative cross-examination of Aff	CX	3:00
03	Negative Constructive (NC)	NEG	7:00
04	Affirmative cross-examination of Neg	CX	3:00
05	1st Affirmative Rebuttal (1AR)	AFF	4:00
06	Negative Rebuttal (NR)	NEG	6:00
07	2nd Affirmative Rebuttal (2AR)	AFF	3:00

Prep time: 4 minutes per debater, shared across the entire round. Prep does not carry over between speeches as a separate countdown — it's one pool each side draws from at their own pace.

How to run an LD round

Set up takes under a minute:

Judge opens debateclock.org/app/ on their phone. A room code appears in the top-right.
Tap COPY to send the debater link, or have them scan the QR code on screen.
Lincoln-Douglas loads by default. Tap Start to begin the AC.
When a debater requests prep, tap Start Prep — Aff or Start Prep — Neg. The active speech auto-pauses.
Tap the next speech in the right-hand list to advance. Or use keyboard: → for next, space for start/pause, A or N for prep.

Frequently asked questions

What are the speech times in Lincoln-Douglas debate?

NSDA LD uses 7 speeches: AC (6 min), Neg CX of Aff (3 min), NC (7 min), Aff CX of Neg (3 min), 1AR (4 min), NR (6 min), 2AR (3 min). Each debater has a 4-minute prep pool.

How does shared prep time work in LD?

Each debater gets one 4-minute pool of prep time to use across the entire round — not per-speech. They can take 30 seconds before one speech, 2 minutes before another, and so on. The judge starts and stops the pool.

Does the timer work on my phone?

Yes. DebateClock runs in any modern mobile browser — no install, no app store. The judge typically uses a phone for controls while the debater watches on a tablet or laptop.

Does DebateClock work without internet?

The two-device sync requires internet because the judge and debater coordinate through WebSockets. Once loaded, a single-device session keeps running through brief connection drops.

Is DebateClock free for tournaments?

Yes. Free to use at any round — practice, league, invitational, or national-circuit. No signup, no account, no tracking.

Can judges paste a permanent link in their Tabroom paradigm?

Yes. Use debateclock.org/j/your-name as a paradigm link — it always generates the same room, so debaters can click it before every round and always land in the right place.