Chess Puzzles Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what information Chess Puzzles collects, how the app uses it, when it is shared, how long it is kept, and what choices users have. This version is written for the current app build and should be reviewed again before future releases that add new features or partners.

Effective Date April 25, 2026

App Name Chess Puzzles

Publisher Harsh Patel

Contact terwa.tech@gmail.com

1. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to the Chess Puzzles mobile application, including its gameplay features, daily reminders, feedback form, optional leaderboard sync, analytics, crash reporting, remote configuration, and advertising features.

2. Summary of What the App Does With Data

Chess Puzzles is primarily an offline puzzle app. Most gameplay and preference data is stored locally on the user's device. Some features use third-party services, including Firebase and Google AdMob. Depending on the feature being used, the app may:

store gameplay progress, settings, streaks, achievements, hint usage, reminder preferences, and similar app data locally on the device;
create an anonymous Firebase account for backend-supported features;
sync selected leaderboard information to Firebase Firestore;
send analytics events and crash reports to Firebase;
request advertising consent and show Google AdMob ads; and
request notification permission and schedule reminder notifications.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information stored locally on the device

The app stores a significant amount of gameplay and preference data on the user's device so that progress can be preserved between sessions. This may include:

rating, experience points, streaks, and highest streaks;
total puzzles completed and activity-day counts;
daily puzzle results and daily puzzle streak information;
achievement state and pending achievement prompts;
theme preferences, display mode, haptics, and zen-mode settings;
notification preference and reminder time;
hint usage, bonus hints, rewarded-ad counters, and retry-ad counters;
username stored locally for profile and sync use; and
an app-generated anonymous feedback identifier.

This information is stored locally to power gameplay, personalization, streak logic, settings persistence, and offline use.

3.2 Anonymous backend account data

When backend-supported features are used, the app may create a Firebase anonymous account. This means the app can receive a unique Firebase user identifier (UID) that is not tied to a traditional email-and-password account.

The anonymous UID may be used to support leaderboard syncing and related backend features.

3.3 Leaderboard and profile sync data

If leaderboard-related features are used, the app may send profile and performance information to Firebase Firestore, including:

anonymous Firebase UID;
username chosen or generated in the app;
rating, experience points, and longest streak;
Puzzle Rush best scores and season identifier;
achievement count;
daily puzzle solved/completed counts and streak values;
total completed puzzles;
theme-completion breakdown data; and
timestamps relating to updates and syncs.

Leaderboard information is intended to be visible to other users of the app. Users should therefore avoid choosing a username that reveals personal information they do not want displayed publicly.

3.4 Feedback data

If a user submits feedback through the in-app feedback form, the app may send the following information to Firebase Firestore:

the feedback message the user writes;
the rating the user selects;
app version/build number;
device information such as manufacturer, model, OS name, and OS version;
the app-generated anonymous feedback identifier or user identifier; and
server-side creation timestamp.

3.5 Analytics and diagnostic data

The app uses Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics. These services may receive event data, screen-view data, crash logs, device and app-state information, and related diagnostic data needed to analyze app performance, usage, and stability.

3.6 Advertising and consent-related data

The app uses Google Mobile Ads / AdMob and Google's consent tools. Depending on region, consent status, platform settings, and user permissions, Google and its partners may process advertising identifiers, device information, app interaction data, approximate network information, and consent choices for advertising, measurement, fraud prevention, and ad delivery.

On iOS, the app may request App Tracking Transparency permission before enabling certain advertising use cases. If consent is not granted or is not required, the app may still request non-personalized ads where supported.

3.7 Notification information

The app may request notification permission so it can send puzzle reminders. The app stores reminder preferences locally and schedules notifications. If notification permission is denied, reminder notifications may not be delivered.

3.8 Information we do not intentionally request in the current version

The current version of the app does not ask users to create a traditional account with an email address or phone number, and it does not include in-app payment processing. The app is also not designed to collect precise location data, contacts, photos, or microphone recordings for its core functionality.

4. How We Use Information

We use information for the following purposes:

to provide offline chess puzzle gameplay and save progress;
to remember user settings and preferences;
to operate daily puzzles, streaks, achievements, hints, and related features;
to provide optional leaderboard and profile syncing;
to respond to feedback and improve the app;
to measure app usage and feature engagement;
to detect, investigate, and fix crashes and bugs;
to configure app behavior through remote configuration;
to show ads and manage ad frequency, consent, and reward flows; and
to schedule and deliver reminder notifications.

5. Legal Bases (EEA, UK, and Similar Jurisdictions)

If privacy laws in a user's jurisdiction require a legal basis for processing, the app generally relies on one or more of the following:

Performance of a contract: to provide the app's requested features, save progress, and enable optional sync features;
Legitimate interests: to maintain app security, stability, fraud prevention, product improvement, and operational analytics; and
Consent: where required, including certain advertising or notification permissions.

6. When We Share Information

We do not share user information more broadly than necessary to run, secure, analyze, monetize, and improve the app. Information may be shared with:

Firebase services used for authentication, analytics, crash reporting, remote config, and Firestore;
Google Mobile Ads / AdMob and related consent and advertising partners;
platform providers such as Apple and Google when the app uses system services; and
other users of the app, but only for leaderboard/profile information intended to be public.

We may also disclose information if required by law, lawful request, legal process, or to protect rights, safety, property, users, or the public.

7. Third-Party Services Used by the App

The current app build uses or may use services from the following providers:

Google Firebase Authentication (anonymous authentication)
Google Firebase Firestore
Google Firebase Analytics
Google Firebase Crashlytics
Google Firebase Remote Config
Google Mobile Ads / AdMob
Google User Messaging Platform (consent management)
Expo Notifications and related platform notification services

Users should also understand that if they tap external links, such as store links, donation links, or banner links, those third-party websites and services operate under their own privacy policies and terms.

8. Data Retention

On-device data generally stays on the user's device until the user clears app data, deletes specific data in the app (if the app offers such controls), or uninstalls the app.

Backend data such as leaderboard records, analytics events, crash reports, and feedback submissions may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including operational, security, analytics, recordkeeping, and legal purposes.

9. User Choices and Controls

Users may have the following choices:

disable notifications in app settings or system settings;
change reminder time inside the app;
limit tracking or advertising permissions through iOS or Android settings where available;
choose a non-identifying username for public leaderboard use;
avoid using feedback or leaderboard features if they do not want to send related data; and
delete the app to remove locally stored data from the device.

If a user wants us to review, correct, or delete backend data we control, they should contact us using the details below and provide enough information for us to locate the record, such as a username, anonymous UID, feedback identifier, screenshot, or approximate date of submission.

10. International Data Transfers

Third-party service providers used by the app may process data in countries other than the user's own country. By using the app, users understand that their information may be transferred to and processed in jurisdictions with different data protection laws.

11. Security

We take reasonable steps to reduce privacy and security risk, but no app, database, network transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed 100% secure. Users should avoid submitting sensitive personal information in feedback messages or public usernames.

12. Children's Privacy

Chess Puzzles is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children in violation of applicable law. If a parent or guardian believes a child has provided personal information through the app, they should contact us so we can review the issue and, where appropriate, delete relevant data.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the Effective Date at the top of this document. Material changes should be reviewed carefully before continued use of the app.

14. Contact Us

If you have privacy questions, access requests, correction requests, deletion requests, or complaints, contact:

Name: Harsh Patel
Email: terwa.tech@gmail.com
Website: https://www.buildingdev.fun/chess-puzzles

Content notice: Chess Puzzles includes third-party chess puzzle content and related data sources. The app and website operator is responsible for ensuring the necessary rights or permissions exist for that content.

This Privacy Policy page is provided for user information and app-store compliance. It should be updated whenever the app's data practices or service providers materially change.