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RiddleWharf
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ADMIRALTY STANDARD · WCAG 2.2 LEVEL AA

Accessibility Statement

Every chart table, brass plaque and manifest ledger at RiddleWharf is engineered so that every visitor can inspect the harbour on equal terms — whether navigating by keyboard, screen reader, high-contrast display or reduced-motion preference.

Statement reviewed and verified:

SECTION I — THE HARBOUR ACCESS STANDARD WCAG 2.2 Level AA Conformance, Semantic Landmarks and Keyboard Precision

Chief Navigator Riddla Quayle calibrates our code with the same exactitude she applies to her brass sextant-arcs. RiddleWharf is built to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA across desktop, tablet and mobile viewports from 320 pixels upward.

Riddla Quayle, the clockwork kingfisher surveyor with cobalt plumage, brass sextant-wings and golden compass-calipers.
01 · Structure & Landmarks

Semantic HTML & Screen-Reader Clarity

Every page is constructed with native HTML5 landmarks (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <section>, <article> and <footer>) and a strict, non-skipping heading hierarchy beginning with a single <h1>. Game facts ledgers use native description lists (<dl>, <dt>, <dd>) and native <details> disclosures so assistive technologies announce every publisher fact, check date and external-link notice without relying on JavaScript.

02 · Sightlines & Legibility

Colour Contrast & Text Scaling

All body prose, facts strips and navigation controls sit on calm, solid alabaster, sunlit parchment or deep sound-navy grounds tested to exceed the WCAG 2.2 AA contrast ratios of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large display headings and user-interface components. Display titles set over painted harbour scenes carry multi-layered dark-navy extrusion and drop shadows so lettering remains crisp against any sky or waterline. Typography scales smoothly up to 200% browser zoom without clipped text or horizontal scrolling.

03 · Helm & Touch Targets

Keyboard Navigation & Focus Rings

Every interactive element — from the ”Skip to main manifest” bypass link at the top of the page to mobile drawer menus, expandable source notes and official game links — is operable by keyboard alone in a logical tab order. Focused controls display a high-visibility 3-pixel Tidal Cipher Cyan outline (#38E2F7) backed by a dark navy halo. Every link, summary toggle and button meets or exceeds the WCAG 2.2 AA minimum target size of 24×24 CSS pixels.

04 · Visual Descriptions

Alternative Text & Decorative Matter

Every character portrait, harbour scene and custom game cover includes descriptive alternative text written in plain British English so non-visual visitors can experience the world of RiddleWharf. Purely ornamental brass frames, rope dividers, astrolabe arches and background chart textures carry empty alt="" attributes or aria-hidden="true" so they never clutter screen-reader output.

SECTION II — MOTION, VIDEO & CALM WATERS Silent Hero Video Controls and Automatic Reduced-Motion Fallbacks

The kinetic machinery of the Great Cipher Lock is designed to bring the port to life without ever startling, distracting or fatiguing the visitor.

Silent & User-Controlled

Hero Video & Manual Pause Button

The opening harbour scene on the home page features a short, ambient video loop of Wharfon Locke and Riddla Quayle at the Great Cipher Lock. This video is strictly silent — it contains no audio track — and never blocks interaction with headings or navigation plaques. A dedicated, keyboard-accessible Pause / Play button is permanently stationed in the upper-right corner of the hero frame so any visitor can halt or resume the animation at a single click or keystroke.

System Preference Detection

Automatic prefers-reduced-motion Still Image

When your operating system or browser is set to prefer reduced motion (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce), RiddleWharf respects that signal automatically before playback begins. The looping hero video is suppressed and replaced immediately by the high-resolution painted still image of the harbour, while CSS transitions, hover lifts and smooth-scroll animations across the entire site are stilled.

Resilient Architecture

Full Operation Without JavaScript

If JavaScript is disabled or unavailable in your browser, RiddleWharf remains complete and readable. The home page displays the painted hero still in full colour, every game's verified facts block expands natively through HTML <details> elements, and the mobile navigation drawer opens and closes cleanly without scripts.

SECTION III — HARBOURMASTER'S DISPATCH & FEEDBACK Third-Party Game Sites and How to Report an Accessibility Barrier

Wharfon Locke keeps the Watchtower logbook open to every traveller. If any lock-gate, plaque or passage on RiddleWharf hinders your navigation, report it directly to the Custom House so we can set it right.

Wharfon Locke, the Steller sea-lion harbourmaster in a vermilion coat with brass astrolabe rings and a glowing amber lantern-staff.
Direct Email Contact

Report an Accessibility Issue on RiddleWharf

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of RiddleWharf. If you encounter any barrier — such as a keyboard trap, an unlabelled control, a contrast issue or a layout fault at high zoom — please send an email to our team:

Accessibility Contact Email: [Contact email]

Site Operator: [Operator legal name] ([Trading address])

When writing to us, please note the web address (URL) of the page you were visiting, the nature of the problem, and the device, browser or assistive technology you were using. Every report is logged and investigated promptly.

Independent Guide Notice

Third-Party Game Websites

RiddleWharf is an independent editorial guide that links out to the official websites of nine browser puzzle games (Clues by Sam, The Guardian Crosswords, Nerdle, Sudoku.com, Euclidea, NandGame, 2048, Jigsaw Explorer and TETR.IO). While we verify that every outbound link is clearly labelled and announces when it opens in a new tab, the external game sites themselves are operated independently by their respective publishers and are governed by their own accessibility standards and controls.

Return to The Quay Consult the Watchtower Ledger Guide for Parents & Carers