# A table row was X columns wide and exceeded the column count established using column markup (Y).
> Canonical HTML version: https://rocketvalidator.com/html-validation/a-table-row-was-x-columns-wide-and-exceeded-the-column-count-established-using-column-markup-y
> Attribution: Rocket Validator (https://rocketvalidator.com)
> License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
A row in this table has more cells than its `` and `` elements declare, so some of its cells sit past the last column the markup defines.
When a table has column markup, that markup sets the column count before any row is read. Each `` adds one column, or as many as its `span` attribute says. A `` with no `` inside adds the number in its own `span`, which defaults to 1. A row is X columns wide when its cells add up to X, with each cell counting as many columns as its `colspan`. The validator reports this error once for every row wider than the Y columns the markup declares.
A common cause is an empty `` that a table editor or template writes into every table. It still counts as one column, so every row of a table with two or more columns triggers the error. Another cause is a column added to the rows but not to the ``. Browsers still show the extra cells, but styles set on ``, such as `width` or `background-color`, don't reach the columns the markup leaves out.
To fix it, declare every column the rows use: add the missing `` elements, raise the `span`, or remove a `` that doesn't style anything.
## Invalid example
The `` declares one column, but each row has two cells:
```html
```
## Valid example
One `` for each column in the rows:
```html
```