Turn timer for board games
A clock for the player who takes too long. Give every turn the same time, tap Reset to pass it on, and let the bell say when it is up. It works for any game with turns, on any phone, without an account.
Your clock
Changing the mode or the allowance resets a clock that is standing still. A running clock plays its turn out first.
Turn log
Nothing timed yet. Reset files a turn.
Three clocks in one
- Per turn
- Every turn gets the same allowance. Reset returns the clock to the full time, files the turn and waits for Start.
- Countdown
- One clock for the whole table: a round of Fishbowl, a speed round, a break.
- Stopwatch
- Counts up from zero and never rings. For finding out how long a game really takes.
The turn log
Every Reset files the turn that just ended: how long it took, and whether it finished in time or ran over. After a game the log is the answer to who was really holding everybody up.
The clock and the log are kept in this browser, so closing the tab loses nothing. A clock left running keeps the right time while the page is in the background, because it counts from the moment it was started rather than ticking.
Games that want a clock
Word games and party games run on one. So does any table with a slow player.
Questions
How does the turn timer work?
Choose how long a turn may take and tap Start. When the turn is over, tap Reset: the clock goes back to the full time and stops, ready for the next player, and the turn that just ended is written in the log with how long it took.
What happens when the time runs out?
The clock stops at 0:00, turns red and rings every three seconds until somebody answers it. Reset hands the turn on; Pause silences it.
Why is there no sound?
A browser plays nothing until the page has been tapped. Tap the speaker above the clock once and you will hear the ring it is going to make. On an iPhone, check the silent switch as well.
Which turn lengths can I set?
Thirty, forty-five, sixty or ninety seconds, two minutes or five minutes. A minute is the usual turn for a word game; two to five suit a strategy game.
Can I use it as a chess clock?
Not quite. A chess clock gives each player a bank of time for the whole game; this gives every turn the same allowance. For a game where each move is timed on its own, it does the job.
Will my phone go to sleep while the clock runs?
The page asks the phone to stay awake while the clock is running. Most phones agree; an iPhone in Low Power Mode may not, so plug it in or switch that off for a long game.
One clock the whole table can see
In a SquareScores game the timer is shared: every phone at the table shows the same clock, it names whose turn it is, and anybody can pass it on. The score is kept beside it.