Yes, in my haste to get the round started, I probably did not make myself clear enough. I was not making a claim or expecting help, I just came to the TD for help setting the clock quickly, in case help could be had, just to resume the game as fast as possible. I believe I was probably not clear enough about both it not being a claim and about it being something that both players agreed on. I believe the TD was clear that I was not demanding help.
As a clarification, the TD did not agree to allow substituting the clock if the time was split, so the splitting of the time is not what needs to be justified. The TD initially thought that I was looking for help splitting the time because both players were late, or a player was late and the other did not have equipment set up. Once the TD realized we just wanted to switch the clock on a game that had started but in which no moves had been made, that’s when the TD said this was not allowed. Again, the TD believed that this was backed by the rules, and my point of view was that it was not allowed or disallowed by the rules, and I didn’t see any harm in players agreeing to do this before a move had been made. However, since I did not believe that it was allowed or disallowed, I agreed that the TD’s decision was legal, even if I didn’t think it was fair, so I dropped the subject and went back to resume the game on the analog clock.