[tchock23]

The timer makes it competitive. Every day I "compete" with a friend of mine across the country to see who can finish the mini crossword faster. Without that it wouldn't be fun (for me at least). I unwind with the bigger crossword and just ignore the timer at the top.

[tstrimple]

That’s why I liked the suggestion of a count up timer versus a count down timer. It’s a small difference, but removes immediacy while still allowing competition.