.countdown-label{
  color:#ffffff;
  font-weight:800;
  letter-spacing:2px;
  text-transform:uppercase;
  font-size:36px;
  margin-bottom:18px;

  opacity:1; /* keep crisp */
  text-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.45); /* sharper over busy background */

  transform:translateZ(0); /* reduce GPU blur */
  -webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;
  text-rendering:geometricPrecision;
}
.side-panel-close{
  position: absolute;
  top: 20px;
  left: 20px; /* change to right:20px if you want it on the right */
  z-index: 9999;
  background: transparent;
  border: 0;
  color: #fff;
  font-size: 34px;
  line-height: 1;
  cursor: pointer;
  opacity: .9;
}
.side-panel-close:hover{ opacity: 1; }