We're sorry to hear that you're having trouble, and we appreciate your patience! Your concerns have been heard loud and clear.
Our tech gnomes are currently developing a new version of the game that won't require an API key at all. This should make things much smoother and let you focus on what's important - having fun! (ʘ‿ʘ✿)
In the meantime, from what I heard that if you register a new OpenAI account with a different phone number and Gmail, it should net you another $5 free credits. Maybe this is a possible way to give a try..
Hang in there, and thank you for your understanding and support!