So I have a problem with my Arduino countdown device with buttons. I need to make the variable time go down 1 and then delay 1000,but when I do that all the buttons are off until the delay is over.
Welcome to the forum
It sounds like you are using the delay() function to do the timing. However, during the delay() period no other code runs, hence your problem. You need to use a non blocking method of timing
See Using millis() for timing. A beginners guide, Several things at the same time and the BlinkWithoutDelay example in the IDE
Please post your current code so that we can see what you are trying to do
What are you trying to accomplish with it?