  We describe a possible general and simple paradigm in a classical thermal
setting for discrete time crystals (DTCs), systems with stable dynamics which
is subharmonic to the driving frequency thus breaking discrete
time-translational invariance. We consider specifically an Ising model in two
dimensions, as a prototypical system with a phase transition into stable phases
distinguished by a local order parameter, driven by a thermal dynamics and
periodically kicked. We show that for a wide parameter range a stable DTC
emerges. The phase transition to the DTC state appears to be in the equilibrium
2D Ising class when dynamics is observed stroboscopically. However, we show
that the DTC is a genuine non-equilibrium state. More generally, we speculate
that systems with thermal phase transitions to multiple competing phases can
give rise to DTCs when appropriately driven.
