1. No Corporate Affiliation
Let's clear the air right away: Patches Game is a 100% independent, community-driven project. We are built by puzzle lovers, for puzzle lovers.
We are NOT affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to LinkedIn, Microsoft Corporation, or any of their subsidiaries. Any similarities to games found on those platforms are due to the shared underlying mechanics of the public-domain puzzle.
2. The Origins of the Game (Shikaku)
You might have seen this type of puzzle floating around the internet recently, but the core mechanics are actually quite old! The gameplay is based on a classic Japanese logic puzzle known as Shikaku (sometimes called "Divide by Box"), which was originally popularized by the puzzle publisher Nikoli decades ago.
The fundamental concept of dividing a grid into rectangles based on numerical area clues is public domain. However, Patches Game is our own unique, from-scratch implementation. Everything you see here—our custom puzzle generation algorithms, the specific layout of our boards, our UI/UX design, our shape constraints, and our gamification mechanics (like streaks and XP)—is our proprietary creation.
3. The "As Is" Clause
We take a lot of pride in our custom puzzle engine. We've written extensive logic to guarantee that every single puzzle we publish has exactly one unique, logically deducible solution.
That being said, we are human, and software can have bugs. The service, the website, and the puzzles are provided "as is" and "as available" without any warranties. We cannot guarantee 100% uninterrupted access to the site, nor can we absolutely guarantee that your local progress (like your streaks) will never be lost due to browser updates or server hiccups. We highly recommend creating a free account if you want to ensure your data is backed up safely!
4. External Links
From time to time, we might link to external websites (like Wikipedia to explain puzzle history, or social media platforms). We don't operate those sites, and we have no control over their content, privacy policies, or practices. Click responsibly!
5. Accuracy of Information
While we strive to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all information presented on this website, we cannot guarantee that it is entirely error-free. Game statistics, leaderboard rankings, puzzle difficulty ratings, and other data are provided for informational and entertainment purposes. We make reasonable efforts to keep all content current and accurate.
6. User-Generated Content
Display names, usernames, and any other user-submitted content that appears on our leaderboards and public profiles are created by individual users. Patches Game does not endorse, verify, or take responsibility for user-generated content. We reserve the right to remove any display names or content that is offensive, inappropriate, or violates our Terms of Service.
7. Puzzle Quality & Handcrafted Guarantee
Every puzzle on Patches Game is handcrafted by our proprietary generation engine. Our algorithm generates, validates, and filters every board to guarantee that each puzzle has exactly one unique, logically deducible solution. While we are confident in the quality of our engine, in the rare event that a puzzle defect is found, please report it to us and we will investigate and correct it promptly.