Terms of Service

Last Updated: April 8, 2026

Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using DuckDuckWord (available at duckduckword.com, the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

The Site is operated by its owners ("we," "us," or "our"). You can contact us at duckduckword@pm.me.

Eligibility

The Site is intended for users who are at least 16 years of age. By using the Site, you represent that you are 16 or older. Users under 18 should use the Site only with the involvement and consent of a parent or guardian.

The Site is intended for personal, non-commercial use only and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16, in compliance with applicable laws including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and applicable international privacy regulations.

The Game and Site — What We Provide

DuckDuckWord is a free, browser-based word game. We reserve the right to:

• Modify, suspend, or discontinue the Site or any feature at any time, with or without notice
• Change these Terms at any time (see "Changes to These Terms" below)

We have no obligation to maintain the Site or keep it available. Access to the Site is provided "as is" and at our sole discretion.

Intellectual Property

Our Content

All content on the Site — including but not limited to the game design, gameplay mechanics, text, graphics, logos, illustrations, and the name "DuckDuckWord" — is owned by DuckDuckWord and its operators and protected by United States copyright law and applicable intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, or otherwise exploit any content from the Site without our express written permission.

Your Content

If you submit any content to us (e.g., via email or any future feedback feature), you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to use, reproduce, and incorporate that content into the Site or our operations.

Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Site for any unlawful purpose or in violation of these Terms
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Site or its underlying systems
• Interfere with or disrupt the Site's operation or the servers or networks connected to it
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to access or interact with the Site without our written permission
• Reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Site
• Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity

You may share your own gameplay results or screenshots for personal and non-commercial purposes (e.g., on social media), provided you do not misrepresent or alter our brand.

Privacy

Your use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

No Warranties — Disclaimer

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

We do not warrant that:

• The Site will be available at any particular time or uninterrupted
• The Site will be free of errors, bugs, or security vulnerabilities
• Any scores, progress, or saved data will be preserved

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, DUCKDUCKWORD AND ITS OPERATORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE SITE.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the Site shall not exceed $100 USD or the amount you have paid us in the past twelve months, whichever is greater. Because the Site is currently free, this means our maximum liability is $100 USD.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain liability limitations, so the above may not apply to you in full.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless DuckDuckWord and its operators from and against any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of: (a) your use of the Site; (b) your violation of these Terms; or (c) your violation of any third-party rights.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms and your use of the Site are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Informal Resolution. Before initiating arbitration, both parties agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at duckduckword@pm.me. If the dispute is not resolved within 30 days, either party may proceed to arbitration.

Binding Arbitration. Any dispute or claim relating to these Terms or the Site that is not resolved informally will be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, available at adr.org.

• Arbitration will take place in Bexar County, Texas, in English, or at your election by telephone or video conference.
• Each party will bear its own legal fees.
• Either party may bring claims in small claims court instead of arbitration.
• You waive any right to participate in a class action or class-wide arbitration.
• Either party may seek emergency injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property rights without first completing the informal resolution process or arbitration.

Opt-Out. If you do not wish to be bound by this arbitration agreement, you must notify us in writing at duckduckword@pm.me within 30 days of first using the Site. Opting out does not affect any other part of these Terms.

Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If we make material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify users (e.g., via a notice on the Site).

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Site and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

Contact Us

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

duckduckword@pm.me