Privacy policy

Who made the app and the short version

Daniel Anderson built the app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro. It is free to download and play. Some extra puzzle packs and features are optional purchases, and the iPhone and iPad versions show ads until something is purchased. This page explains what information the app uses, who else handles it, and what choices you have. In this policy, "I" and "me" mean Daniel Anderson.

The app has no account, no sign-in and no server of mine. I do not receive your puzzles, your photos, your name or your game progress.
I do not use analytics or crash-reporting services in the app.
Apple (Game Center, SharePlay, the App Store) and Google (AdMob, for ads) handle some information when you use those features. They are described below.

Information kept on your device

The app saves these on your device so the game works. I do not receive them.

Your settings, such as sound, haptics, timer and font.
Your Game Center nickname, saved when you start a game with other players through Game Center.
Your game progress, finished puzzles, and which purchases the app has recognised.
The current game shown by the Sudoku widget. The app and the widget share it through an app group on your device.

Camera and photos

If you scan a puzzle, the app asks for access to the camera. The image is read on your device with Apple's Vision framework. The app does not send camera images to me or to anyone else. If you choose a photo of a puzzle instead, you pick that single photo yourself in Apple's photo picker, and it is read the same way on your device. The app does not get access to the rest of your photo library.

Information shared with other people

If you play together with other people through SharePlay or Game Center, the app sends the moves of the game to the other players. This includes the puzzle, the numbers placed, the kind of device you use (iPhone, iPad or Vision Pro) and your Game Center nickname once the app has saved it, also in SharePlay games. Without a saved nickname, the other players see you as "Player". These messages travel through Apple's services between the players' devices. I do not run a server for this and I do not receive them. The other players can see what you send.

Third parties

The app uses the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy.

Apple Game Center. If you are signed in to Game Center, the app submits your finish time to the leaderboard for the daily puzzle and for puzzles in the packs, and shows the leaderboard. Puzzles you scan or type in, and the Demo pack, submit nothing. If you allow it, the app reads your Game Center friends list on your device to show your friends' times. It is not sent to me, and you can change this in your device's Game Center settings. Your Game Center name and the score are handled by Apple and may be visible to other players, depending on your Game Center settings. See Apple's Game Center privacy information at https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/game-center/. If you are not signed in to Game Center, the game still works and nothing is submitted.

Apple SharePlay. Group play over FaceTime is provided by Apple. See Apple's privacy policy at https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/.

Apple App Store purchases. Apple processes every purchase, including puzzle packs and Remove Ads. I do not receive your payment details, your Apple ID or your name. The app asks Apple on your device which purchases you own, so it can unlock them and so it can stop showing ads after any purchase.

Google AdMob. On iPhone and iPad, the free app shows ads from Google AdMob. To show an ad, Google's Mobile Ads SDK may collect and use information such as your IP address, device and app details (for example device model, operating system version, and the app's name and version), a device identifier limited to this app or to my apps on your device, diagnostics from the SDK, your advertising identifier if you allow it, and how you interact with ads. Google may use this to choose, show, measure and protect against fraud in ads. See Google's Privacy Policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy and how Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services at https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites. Ads are not shown on Apple Vision Pro, and any purchase in the app turns ads off.

Ad consent and tracking choices

Where the law requires it, the app shows Google's consent form before any ad is requested, so you can accept or decline how ads use your data.
On iOS, the app asks whether it may track you across other companies' apps and websites, using Apple's tracking prompt. If you say no, the app does not receive your advertising identifier, and ads may be less relevant to you. You can change this at any time in Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking on your device.
The app does not ask for access to your location. Ad providers can still estimate a rough location from your IP address.
A purchase of any puzzle pack or feature turns ads off.

Crash reports from Apple

If you have chosen to share analytics with app developers in your device's settings, Apple may give me crash reports and usage statistics for the app. These come from Apple, not from the app, and I use them only to fix problems.

Messages you send me

If you email me from the app or write to the address below, I receive your email address and what you wrote. A message started from the app's Feedback and Support row is pre-filled with the app version, your device model and your operating system name and version. You can delete these lines before you send it. I use it to reply and to improve the app, and I do not share it.

How long information is kept, and how to delete it

On your device: the settings, name, progress and purchase records stay on your device until you delete the app. Deleting the app removes them, along with the data the widget shares.
Game Center: scores and your Game Center profile are kept by Apple. You can manage them in your Game Center settings on your device or by contacting Apple.
Ads: information collected by Google is kept by Google under its own policy. You can reset your advertising identifier or turn off tracking in your device's Settings, and manage Google's ad settings at https://myadcenter.google.com/.
Email to me: I keep it as long as it is needed to answer you. Write to the address below and I will delete it on request.

I do not hold personal information about you that I could delete from my side, beyond emails you send.

Children

The app is a general-audience puzzle game. It is not directed at children under 13, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent me personal information, write to me at the address below and I will delete it. Parents can also limit ad tracking and purchases in the child's device settings.

Security

I use reasonable means to keep information safe, and the app keeps it on your device. No method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure, so I cannot promise absolute security.

Links to other sites

The app links to sites I do not run, such as the App Store and YouTube, and this page names privacy pages of Apple and Google. I am not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy, for example when the app gains a feature that handles information differently. The new version will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Please check back from time to time.

Contact

Questions about this policy, or requests to delete something you sent me: [email protected].