Which debate rules are these presets based on?
The preset sequences and allocations are transcribed from version 2027.1.0 of the National Speech & Debate Association High School Unified Manual for 2026–2027, updated August 1, 2026, including its debate time-limit appendix. They were verified on August 23, 2026. Tournament and league instructions can still override the national preset.
Does the debate timer advance automatically?
No. At zero, the clock continues to show explicit overtime while the operator remains in control. Choose Next segment only when the speech, cross-examination, crossfire, or rebuttal has actually ended and the room is ready. This avoids silently starting the next speaker during a transition or ruling.
How do prep time banks work?
Public Forum, Lincoln–Douglas, and Policy presets include two independent prep balances. Opening a prep bank pauses the current round segment; starting that bank subtracts only from the selected side. Returning to the round restores the paused segment exactly where it stopped. Extemporaneous Debate instead places mandatory prep directly in its sequence.
Why does Public Forum use Team A and Team B instead of pro and con?
In Public Forum, the pre-round coin flip determines side and speaking position. The team speaking first may be pro or con, so the source manual labels the sequence Team A and Team B. Keeping those labels prevents the timer from assigning a side incorrectly.
What do the yellow and red timer states mean?
They are operator aids, not rules or official hand signals. Yellow appears with 30 seconds remaining; red appears for the final 10 seconds and overtime. The screen also states the remaining time or overtime in words, so color is never the only cue.
Why is there no universal parliamentary debate preset?
Parliamentary formats and local leagues use different speech orders, preparation periods, protected time, and points-of-information rules. A single preset labeled parliamentary would imply a standard that does not exist. Use the exact tournament schedule or a custom stopwatch until a specific ruleset is selected.
Does this tool store debate topics, cases, school names, or team names?
No. The timer does not ask for or store a topic, argument, evidence, school, student, or team name. Product analytics use only fixed properties such as selected format, segment number, and allocated seconds so the tool can be improved without collecting debate content.
Can I share a specific debate format?
Yes. Choose a format and use Share. The resulting link includes only the format key, such as public-forum or policy. It opens at the first segment with fresh prep balances and contains no round content or participant information.
Can this timer replace the official timekeeper or judge?
No. It is a convenience tool for running and rehearsing a known sequence. The judge, tournament, league, invitation, tab room, or current governing manual decides how time is kept and which limits apply. Follow those instructions if they differ from this page.