Cool Sudoku Privacy Policy

Effective date: October 28, 2026
Controller: Kyrylo Panin, autónomo, trading as Cool Sudoku
Contact: support@coolsudoku.app
Postal address: Calle Rubén Vela 12, 46006 Valencia, Spain

This Privacy Policy explains how Cool Sudoku (the App) handles information when you play the App, use optional notifications, or view advertising. It applies to the App on iOS and Android and to our related backend services. Where a feature exists on only one platform, this policy says so.

Information We Process

We do not require an account, name, email address, contacts, photos, precise location, or payment-card details to play.

We process the following information:

• Anonymous technical identifiers: installation identifier, anonymous backend credentials, session identifiers, and event identifiers. These help operate the service, prevent duplicate requests, synchronize game history, and diagnose service problems.
• Device and app information: app version and build, operating-system version (iOS or Android), device type and hardware model (on Android, the manufacturer and model), language and locale, time zone, and compatibility request metadata.
• Gameplay and product-use information: screen views, tutorial progress, game configuration, outcomes, elapsed time, mistake and hint counts, daily-challenge completion, and advertising reward events.
• Diagnostics and logs: on iOS, Apple MetricKit performance and crash diagnostics; on Android, crash and "app not responding" reports from the Android system (`ApplicationExitInfo`) and the App's own crash handler, including stack traces. Both include limited recent app-log breadcrumbs and are used to investigate crashes, hangs, errors, and performance issues.
• Push-notification data: if you allow notifications, the push token (Apple Push Notification service on iOS, Firebase Cloud Messaging on Android), notification-enabled status, app version, locale, and time zone, used to deliver requested puzzle reminders and streak updates.
• Purchase information: if you buy an in-app product or subscribe to Cool Sudoku Plus, the product, transaction or order identifiers, and purchase and renewal dates reported by the App Store or Google Play (on Android, also Google Play's purchase record with its purchase token), linked to your installation identifier so we can deliver, restore, and refund purchases. Apple or Google processes payment; we never receive your card details.
• Advertising and consent information: on iOS and Android, Google Mobile Ads and Google User Messaging Platform may process device and ad information, including the advertising identifier (on iOS only if you allow tracking; on Android the Android advertising ID, which you can reset or delete in your device settings), to deliver, measure, limit, and personalize ads according to your choices and law. Ads are not shown to players who bought Remove Ads or Cool Sudoku Plus.
• Links and install source: when you open a Cool Sudoku link (a shared puzzle or result on coolsudoku.app, or a campaign link on play.coolsudoku.app), we record which link it was, the platform, the app whose in-app browser opened it, the referring website, and a salted one-way hash of your IP address and browser. We never store the IP address itself. On its first launch the App reports where it was installed from: on Android, the Google Play install referrer; on iOS, if you left one of our links for the App Store, the link you came from, matched for up to one hour by the same kind of salted hash of your IP address so the App can open that puzzle. We use this only to count which links bring players and to open the content you asked for, not to track you across other companies' apps or websites.
• Shared results: if you share a result, the result details (mode, difficulty, score, time, date, and puzzle) are stored under a short public link. They contain no identifier of you or your device.

How We Use Information

We use this information to operate the App and backend, restore games, provide daily challenges and optional notifications, secure and troubleshoot the service, improve gameplay, and show or reward ads when allowed. Where GDPR or UK GDPR applies, our bases are:

• contract performance for gameplay, game restoration, daily challenges, and notifications you request;
• consent for product analytics and for advertising where Google's consent flow requires it;
• legitimate interests in keeping the App secure and stable, for crash and performance diagnostics, which you can turn off at any time, and in understanding which of our links bring players and opening the content a link points to; and
• legal obligations where applicable.

Analytics and Crash Reports

You control both in Settings:

• Share Usage Analytics sends gameplay and product-use information. In the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland it is off unless you turn it on: after your first solved puzzle the App asks you once, and declining is as easy as agreeing. Elsewhere it is on by default and you can turn it off.
• Send Crash Reports sends the crash and performance diagnostics described above, with limited log breadcrumbs. It is on by default and you can turn it off.

Turning either option off stops new collection and deletes the related data stored on your device that has not yet been sent.

Advertising and Choices

Advertising is optional to core gameplay. Optional benefits, such as a rewarded hint or an additional life, require a completed rewarded ad.

Where required, we use Google's consent flow before requesting advertising. You may decline consent and continue normal gameplay; ad-funded rewards and ads may then be unavailable. Where Google requires privacy choices to be available, you can reopen them in the App's Settings. Apple tracking permission, when requested, is separate from advertising consent and optional.

You can disable notifications in the App or in your device's system settings. To request access to or deletion of backend data associated with your installation, open Settings → About Game → Request Data Access or Deletion, or email support@coolsudoku.app with the Support ID shown on the same screen.

Sharing and International Transfers

We share information with providers as needed to operate the App: our backend hosting and notification-delivery infrastructure, Apple for APNs, MetricKit, and App Store purchases, and Google for Firebase Cloud Messaging, Google Play purchases, and the Google Play install referrer on Android, and for consent management and advertising on iOS and Android. Providers may process information outside your country; where required, we use appropriate transfer safeguards. We may disclose information when required by law, to protect users or the service, or in a business transfer.

Retention

We retain information only as needed for the purposes above:

• analytics events: up to 24 months;
• diagnostics and crash reports: up to 12 months;
• link-open records: up to 24 months; the link a not-yet-installed iOS app is waiting for: until the App claims it, and no longer than one day;
• install-source records: until you request deletion of your backend data;
• push-notification registration records: until you disable notifications, the token becomes invalid, or the registration is inactive for 24 months; and
• backend game-history records: until you request deletion or after 24 months of account inactivity.

Local game state, queued analytics, diagnostics, and logs remain on the device until sent, cleared, replaced, or removed with the App.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object to, or receive a portable copy of personal data, and to withdraw consent. Email support@coolsudoku.app to exercise a right. You may also complain to your local data-protection authority.

United States State Privacy Rights

Residents of certain U.S. states, including California, may have rights to know, access, correct, delete, and opt out of certain processing or sharing of personal information, subject to applicable law and exceptions. We do not sell personal information for money. Advertising providers may process identifiers and device information for advertising or measurement as described above.

Where applicable, use the App's Privacy Choices entry in Settings to manage advertising choices made available by Google. To make an access, correction, deletion, or opt-out request, email support@coolsudoku.app with the subject line Privacy Request. We will not discriminate against you for exercising applicable privacy rights. An authorized agent may submit a request where permitted by law; we may ask for proof of authorization and verification of the request.

Children

Cool Sudoku is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). Do not use the App or provide personal information if you do not meet that age. Contact support@coolsudoku.app if you believe a child has provided personal information.

Changes and Contact

We may update this policy when the App or law changes. The current version is published at https://coolsudoku.app/legal/privacy-policy with its effective date.

Kyrylo Panin, autónomo
Calle Rubén Vela 12
46006 Valencia, Spain
support@coolsudoku.app