diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 69165c7..acb1be7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ ifeq ($(target),windows)
 	CCFLAGS=$(SDL_INCLUDE) -O3
 else
 	CC=gcc
-	SDL_INCLUDE= -lSDL2 -lm
+	SDL_INCLUDE= -lSDL2 -lm -lSDL2_ttf
 	CCFLAGS=$(SDL_INCLUDE) -O3
 endif
 
diff --git a/TerminusTTF.ttf b/TerminusTTF.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d302264
Binary files /dev/null and b/TerminusTTF.ttf differ
diff --git a/src/draw.c b/src/draw.c
index 018a887..b91a896 100644
--- a/src/draw.c
+++ b/src/draw.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "draw.h"
+#include "game.h"
 
 Vect viewport_pos;
 int width, height;
@@ -376,6 +377,39 @@ void draw_environment(SDL_Renderer * ren, struct environment *scene) {
 }
 
 
+void draw_level_time(SDL_Renderer *ren, struct environment * e) {
+    static TTF_Font* font = NULL;
+    if (!font) {
+        font = TTF_OpenFont("TerminusTTF.ttf", 18);
+        const char *err = SDL_GetError();
+        if (err) {
+            printf("%s\n", err);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    int margin = height / 10;
+    SDL_Rect position = {.x = margin, .y = height - margin};
+    struct colour colour = e->colours.fg1;
+
+    int minutes = level_time / 60000;
+    float seconds = level_time * 0.001;
+    char time_string[250];
+    snprintf(time_string, 250, "%d:%.4f", minutes, seconds);
+
+    SDL_Colour sdl_col = {colour.r, colour.g, colour.b, 255}; 
+
+    SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(ren, colour.r, colour.g, colour.b, 255);
+    SDL_Surface *surf =  TTF_RenderText_Solid(font, time_string, sdl_col);
+
+    SDL_Texture *texture = SDL_CreateTextureFromSurface(ren, surf);
+    SDL_QueryTexture(texture, NULL, NULL, &position.w, &position.h);
+    SDL_RenderCopy(ren, texture, NULL, &position);
+
+    SDL_DestroyTexture(texture);
+    SDL_FreeSurface(surf);
+
+}
+
 void redraw_buffer(SDL_Renderer * ren) {
 	static int mousex = 0;
 	static int mousey = 0;
@@ -392,13 +426,12 @@ void redraw_buffer(SDL_Renderer * ren) {
         /*}*/
     /*}*/
 
-    int col = 0;
-
 	//SDL_GetMouseState(&newmousex, &newmousey);
     update_viewport(player.physics->position.x, player.physics->position.y);
 
     struct environment scene = get_scene_at(viewport_pos, level);
     draw_environment(ren, &scene);
+    draw_level_time(ren, &scene);
 
     for (int i=0; i < world.items.size; i++) {
         world_thing thing;
diff --git a/src/draw.h b/src/draw.h
index 922f32a..2600311 100644
--- a/src/draw.h
+++ b/src/draw.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define _DEFDRAW
 
 #include <SDL2/SDL.h>
+#include <SDL2/SDL_ttf.h>
 
 #include "garbo.h"
 #include "c-colours/colours.h"
diff --git a/src/game.c b/src/game.c
index 1525406..be636ee 100644
--- a/src/game.c
+++ b/src/game.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "game.h"
+#include <SDL2/SDL_ttf.h>
 
 #define FLOOR_THICKNESS 200 
 #define MAX_ROPE_GRAB_LEN 80000
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ player_st *glob_player;
 SDL_Renderer *debug_ren;
 
 int level;
+long level_time;
 
 /* array of all the things in the world and their kinds */
 //world_thing *world;
@@ -47,6 +49,18 @@ void default_update_collision_poly(Body *body) {
     }
 }
 
+
+void level_timer_update(bool reset) {
+    static int start_point = 0;
+    long now = SDL_GetTicks();
+    if (reset) {
+        level_time = 0;
+        start_point = now;
+    } else {
+        level_time = now - start_point;
+    }
+}
+
 // collision poly size must be 2x shape_size + 1
 void cast_update_collision_poly(Body *body) {
     for (int i=0; i < body->collision_shape_size; i++) {
@@ -762,13 +776,14 @@ void ratcheted_winch_motor_update(Motor* motor) {
         motor->stop = true;
         return;
     }
-    winch_motor_update(motor);
 
     Vect st;
     st.x = body->position.x - body->strings[0].end_point.x;
     st.y = body->position.y - body->strings[0].end_point.y;
 
-    body->strings[0].max_length = vect_mag(st);
+    if (body->strings[0].max_length > vect_mag(st))
+        body->strings[0].max_length = vect_mag(st);
+    winch_motor_update(motor);
 
 }
 
@@ -1290,6 +1305,7 @@ void get_projectile(Projectile** proj) {
 void advance_things(void) {
     int numcols;
     Vect translation;
+    level_timer_update(false);
     for (int i = 0; i < world.items.size; i++) {
         switch (world.get(i).kind) {
             case PLAYER_W :
@@ -1408,7 +1424,7 @@ void startgame(SDL_Renderer * ren) {
 
     debug_ren = ren;
 
-    level = 0;
+    level = 113;
 
     world = create_world();
 
@@ -1431,6 +1447,7 @@ void startgame(SDL_Renderer * ren) {
     viewport_pos.x = 700;
     viewport_pos.y = 0;
 
+    level_timer_update(true);
     //get_room();
 }
 
@@ -1505,6 +1522,7 @@ void step(int interval) {
     if (player.physics->position.x > world.uniques_index[ROOM_W]->room
             ->floor.items[world.uniques_index[ROOM_W]->room->floor.numItems - 1]->position.x) {
         next_level();
+        level_timer_update(true);
     }
 
     advance_things();
diff --git a/src/game.h b/src/game.h
index d247daa..e3a4359 100644
--- a/src/game.h
+++ b/src/game.h
@@ -27,5 +27,6 @@ extern void process_keyup(SDL_Keysym key);
 extern void step(int interval);
 extern player_st player;
 extern int level;
+extern long level_time;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 700895a..7d412a9 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ int game(void) {
         SDL_DestroyWindow(win);
         SDL_Quit();
     }
+    TTF_Init();
 
     int close = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/types.h b/src/types.h
index e40640b..4566a42 100644
--- a/src/types.h
+++ b/src/types.h
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ typedef struct world GlobWorld;
 // environment 
 
 enum {
-    E_ROOM_WIDTH = 100000,
+//    E_ROOM_WIDTH = 100000,
+    E_ROOM_WIDTH = 10000,
     E_ROOM_RES = 500,
     E_ROOM_TILES = E_ROOM_WIDTH / E_ROOM_RES,
 };