Privacy Policy

Who we are

Winters Puzzles is the controller of information described in this policy. Questions or privacy requests can be sent to hello@winterspuzzles.com.

Information stored on your device

The app stores the information needed to remember your play and preferences, including:

• your optional player name;
• settings, appearance choices and Today’s Mix preferences;
• game progress, completed boards, results, streaks and achievements;
• puzzles you create or receive from another person; and
• your reminder preference and selected reminder time.

This information is kept locally in the app’s storage. If you enable iCloud sync, the items described below are also stored in your private iCloud account. Removing the app normally removes its local data, subject to how Apple handles device backups and restoration.

Optional iCloud sync

You can choose to sync your game history, achievements, player name, custom puzzles, app preferences and Today’s Mix choices across your Apple devices. Winters Puzzles stores this as an encrypted record in the app’s private CloudKit database. Apple associates that private database with your Apple Account and operates the iCloud infrastructure. Daily notification permission and reminder time remain local to each device.

iCloud sync is off until you enable it in Settings. You can turn it off at any time, sync manually, or use “Delete data from iCloud” to remove the cloud copy while keeping data on the current device. Apple’s own device backups and account-retention processes may operate separately.

Analytics and crash reports

We use Google Analytics for Firebase to understand how the app is used and improve its puzzles. This includes events such as the type and difficulty of puzzle played, whether a round was completed, play duration, mistakes, hints, achievements, walkthrough views and use of sharing features. We do not intentionally include your chosen player name or the content of a custom puzzle in these events.

Firebase Crashlytics processes diagnostic information when the app crashes, such as crash traces, installation and session identifiers, the crash time, app version, operating system, device model and related technical details. We use this only to diagnose faults and improve reliability.

Advertising

The app uses Google Mobile Ads to provide app-open, interstitial and optional rewarded ads. Google says its mobile ads SDK may process information including IP address and approximate location, device or app identifiers, ad views and interactions, and performance or diagnostic data. The exact processing can depend on your region, device settings, consent choices and the type of ad served.

Winters Puzzles does not directly sell your personal information. Google processes advertising data under its own terms and privacy policy. You can also manage Apple privacy and advertising choices in your device settings.

Reminders and sharing

Daily reminders are local iOS notifications. They are scheduled only if you enable them and grant notification permission; you can turn them off in the app or in iOS Settings.

When you choose to share a puzzle, the puzzle or a link containing the information needed to open it is passed to the service you select in Apple’s share sheet. That service and the person you share with handle the information under their own privacy practices. Nothing is shared until you choose to do so.

This website and contact emails

This is a static website and we do not use our own analytics, advertising cookies or contact form. Cloudflare hosts and secures the site and may process routine request information, such as IP address, browser details and security logs, to deliver the pages and prevent abuse.

If you email us, we receive your email address and anything you include in your message or attachments. We use it to respond, provide support and maintain an appropriate record of the conversation.

Why we process information

Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on our legitimate interests in operating, securing and improving Winters Puzzles; on your consent where it is requested; and on taking steps you ask us to take, such as replying to a support request. You may withdraw consent through the relevant app, device or provider setting where that option is available.

Service providers and international processing

Information may be processed by these providers on our behalf or under their own terms:

• Firebase — analytics and crash reporting;
• Google — advertising and the Firebase services above;
• Apple — optional iCloud storage and syncing;
• Cloudflare — website delivery and security; and
• your email provider and ours when you contact us.

These providers may process information outside your country. Where required, they use recognised safeguards for international transfers as described in their policies and terms.

Retention

On-device information remains until you remove it in the app or delete the app. Synced information remains in iCloud until you use the app’s deletion control or otherwise remove it through Apple. Our analytics, crash-reporting, advertising, hosting and email providers retain information according to their own settings and policies. We keep support emails only for as long as reasonably needed to answer the request, maintain necessary records, resolve disputes and meet legal obligations.

Your choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to ask for access to, correction or deletion of personal information, to restrict or object to certain processing, or to receive a portable copy. You may also have the right to complain to your local data-protection authority. Email us at hello@winterspuzzles.com to make a request. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

The most direct way to manage game data is through the app. The iCloud section in Settings lets you disable sync, sync manually or delete the cloud copy. Notification and advertising privacy choices are available in iOS Settings and, where provided, within the relevant Google consent controls.

Children

Winters Puzzles does not ask users to create an account or knowingly ask children to send us personal information. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child has sent personal information to us, please contact us so we can review and delete it where appropriate.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the app, website or services change. The effective date at the top shows when it was last revised. Material changes will be highlighted where appropriate.