Free · No signup · Crossfires + prep pool built in

Public Forum debate timer with Pro/Con prep pool

Free, tournament-grade PF timer. All 11 speeches and crossfires preloaded, 3-minute prep pool per team, 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 judges use DebateClock for Public Forum

Public Forum has the tightest prep budget in competitive debate — 3 minutes per team for the entire round. Teams use it strategically before summaries and final focuses, which means tracking it accurately matters.

DebateClock loads the full NSDA speech order: constructives, both crossfires, summaries, the grand crossfire, and both final focuses. The prep pool auto-pauses when any speech starts. Tap Start Prep — Pro or Start Prep — Con and either teammate's prep draws from the same pool.

Full NSDA 2025-26 order

All 11 speech and crossfire segments, in order, with correct timings. No manual setup.

Crossfire-aware

Crossfires flagged separately so prep can't be accidentally started during CX.

Grand Crossfire + Final Focus

Built for the back half of the round, where timing pressure is highest.

Two-device sync

Judge controls from a phone. Debaters watch a full-screen countdown on a tablet or laptop.

Public Forum Debate speech order

Standard NSDA speech order. DebateClock loads this automatically when you select Public Forum.

#	Speech	Side	Time
01	1st Speaker — Team A (Pro)	PRO	4:00
02	1st Speaker — Team B (Con)	CON	4:00
03	Crossfire #1	CX	3:00
04	2nd Speaker — Team A	PRO	4:00
05	2nd Speaker — Team B	CON	4:00
06	Crossfire #2	CX	3:00
07	Summary — Team A	PRO	3:00
08	Summary — Team B	CON	3:00
09	Grand Crossfire	CX	3:00
10	Final Focus — Team A	PRO	2:00
11	Final Focus — Team B	CON	2:00

Prep time: 3 minutes per team, shared between both partners across the entire round. Teams typically save most of their prep for before summaries and final focuses.

How to run a Public Forum 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.
Select Public Forum from the format picker. Tap Start to begin the first constructive.
When a team requests prep, tap Start Prep — Aff (Pro) or Start Prep — Neg (Con). 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 Public Forum?

NSDA Public Forum 2025-26 uses: two 4-minute constructives per team, 3-minute crossfires after each, two 3-minute summaries, a 3-minute grand crossfire, and two 2-minute final focuses. Each team has a 3-minute prep pool.

How does prep work in PF?

Each team has a 3-minute pool for the full round. Teams typically reserve most of it for before summaries and final focuses, where it matters most. Either teammate can request prep.

What is grand crossfire?

Grand crossfire is a 3-minute crossfire between all four debaters at once, right before final focus. All four speakers are standing and questioning each other simultaneously.

Does the timer work with the 4-3-2 variant?

Yes. Some leagues use shorter speeches. DebateClock defaults to NSDA 2025-26 timings, but the +30s and -30s buttons let the judge adjust on the fly.

Is there a signup or login?

No. Open debateclock.org/app/, select Public Forum, and run the round. No account, no email, no tracking.