var time; // set in python code var maxTime = 0; $(function () { $("#ansbut").focus(); updateTime(); setInterval(function () { time += 1; updateTime() }, 1000); }); var updateTime = function () { var timeNode = $("#time"); if (!maxTime) { timeNode.text(""); return; } time = Math.min(maxTime, time); var m = Math.floor(time / 60); var s = time % 60; if (s < 10) { s = "0" + s; } if (maxTime === time) { timeNode.html("" + m + ":" + s + ""); } else { timeNode.text(m + ":" + s); } }; function showQuestion(txt, maxTime_) { // much faster than jquery's .html() $("#middle")[0].innerHTML = txt; $("#ansbut").focus(); time = 0; maxTime = maxTime_; } function showAnswer(txt) { $("#middle")[0].innerHTML = txt; $("#defease").focus(); }