Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to PuzzleElo ("we," "our," or "us"). By accessing or using our website at www.puzzleelo.com and all related services (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms").

If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Service. We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time, and your continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of any changes.

2. Description of Service

PuzzleElo provides online puzzle games, including KenKen and other logic puzzles, with features such as:

• Single-player and multiplayer puzzle games
• Elo-based rating and matchmaking system
• Leaderboards and rankings
• Educational classes and assignments
• Social features including friends and challenges
• Premium subscription features

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

To access certain features of our Service, you must create an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to keep your account information updated.

3.2 Account Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

3.3 Account Restrictions

• You must be at least 13 years old to create an account
• Users under 18 should have parental consent
• One account per person is permitted
• Accounts are non-transferable

4. User Conduct

You agree not to:

• Use cheats, exploits, automation software, bots, or any unauthorized third-party software
• Engage in any activity that interferes with or disrupts the Service
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Create multiple accounts to manipulate ratings or leaderboards
• Share account credentials with others
• Use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other users' accounts
• Collect or harvest user information without consent
• Upload or transmit viruses or malicious code

5. Fair Play Policy

To maintain a fair and enjoyable experience for all players, we enforce the following rules:

• No Cheating: Using external solvers, hints from other sources, or any assistance not provided by our Service during competitive games is prohibited.
• No Rating Manipulation: Intentionally losing games, colluding with other players, or using multiple accounts to manipulate ratings is prohibited.
• Respect Other Players: Treat all players with respect. Offensive usernames or behavior will not be tolerated.

Violations may result in penalties including rating adjustments, temporary suspension, or permanent account termination.

6. Premium Subscriptions

6.1 Subscription Terms

Premium features are available through paid subscriptions. By subscribing, you agree to pay the applicable fees and any taxes.

6.2 Billing

• Subscriptions are billed in advance on a recurring basis (monthly or annually)
• Payment is processed through our third-party payment processor (Stripe)
• You authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring basis

6.3 Cancellation and Refunds

• You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period
• No refunds are provided for partial subscription periods
• Refund requests may be considered on a case-by-case basis

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Our Content

All content, features, and functionality of the Service, including but not limited to puzzles, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, and software, are owned by PuzzleElo or our licensors and are protected by intellectual property laws.

7.2 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Service for personal, non-commercial purposes only.

7.3 User Content

By creating or sharing content on our Service (such as custom puzzles), you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute such content within the Service.

8. Educational Features

For teachers and educators using our classroom features:

• You are responsible for obtaining appropriate consent from students and parents/guardians
• Student data should only be used for educational purposes
• Class administrators are responsible for managing class membership
• We comply with applicable educational privacy laws including COPPA and FERPA

9. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure, or that any defects will be corrected.

10. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, PUZZLEELO SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, USE, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE.

Our total liability for any claims under these Terms shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless PuzzleElo and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from your use of the Service or violation of these Terms.

12. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account and access to the Service at our sole discretion, without notice, for any reason, including but not limited to breach of these Terms.

Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease. Provisions of these Terms that should survive termination will remain in effect.

13. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable laws, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or the Service shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If negotiation fails, disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration or in the courts of competent jurisdiction.

14. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of significant changes by posting the updated Terms on our website and updating the "Last Updated" date.

Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and PuzzleElo regarding the use of the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

• Email: support@puzzleelo.com
• Website: www.puzzleelo.com/support