Privacy Policy

Effective October 15, 2026. Applies to crosswords for iPhone and iPad.

crosswords is provided by Nikolay Kalchev. Contact nikolay.a.kalchev@gmail.com about this policy, your information or the app.

Information used by the app

• Local play and preferences: downloaded puzzles, entered letters, elapsed play time, completion history, hint use, achievements and settings are stored on your device to make the game work.
• Puzzle delivery and activity: our Firebase backend receives puzzle dates/languages and technical request information needed to deliver content. The app also sends a pseudonymous device-installation identifier and puzzle activity updates to show aggregate activity, including active-player and completion counts. It does not send your entered letters with those activity updates.
• iCloud: when available, puzzle progress and selected preferences are synchronized through Apple’s iCloud services. Synced progress includes entered letters, timer, completion and hint records. These are associated with your Apple/iCloud account through Apple’s services, not an email-based crosswords account.
• Game Center: Apple provides your Game Center player identifier, nickname, avatar and leaderboard information. The app uses these for profile and leaderboard features. Sharing eligible progress/scores requires the app’s separate confirmation. You can choose not to share.
• Subscriptions: Apple processes payments. RevenueCat receives purchase receipts, transaction/subscription status and a pseudonymous app-user identifier to validate and restore Plus access. We do not receive your payment-card details.
• Usage analytics: Google Analytics for Firebase records app/screen usage, puzzle starts and completions, active playing time, language/mode selections, hint and paywall interactions, purchase/restore results and technical loading failures. Firebase also uses app-installation identifiers and device/app information. Analytics events do not contain your entered letters, answers, name, email, iCloud account identifier or Game Center player identifier.
• Crash diagnostics: Firebase Crashlytics receives crash stacks, app/device information, installation identifiers and sanitized error details. We add contextual categories such as the current screen, language, play mode and Plus status to help find the cause. We do not intentionally include puzzle answers or account information in these reports.
• Support: if you email us, we receive the address and information you choose to send and use them to respond and resolve your request.

Analytics and crash diagnostics

Usage analytics and crash diagnostics are enabled as part of the app to understand feature use and improve reliability. The app does not provide switches to disable these services. Usage events do not include puzzle answers or typed letters; app-reported technical errors use sanitized operation names and error codes.

Apple services and subscriptions

You can manage iCloud and Game Center through your Apple device settings, and subscriptions through Apple’s subscription settings. Removing the app removes local app storage, but may leave iCloud records, Apple purchase records and information already held by service providers.

Purpose and sharing

We use this information to provide gameplay, content delivery, progress synchronization, leaderboards, purchases, support and app improvements. Service providers process information for these purposes under their respective terms. We do not sell personal information or use advertising identifiers or cross-app advertising tracking. This website does not include analytics scripts, advertising or tracking cookies.

Provider information: Firebase privacy and security, RevenueCat privacy, and Apple privacy.

Retention and requests

Local game data remains until removed or replaced by the app or you. Cloud progress, transaction records, analytics, diagnostics and support correspondence are retained according to their purpose, service-provider settings and applicable obligations. You can contact us to request access, correction or deletion of information we control. We may need to verify your request and explain what is held by Apple or another provider that you must manage directly. Applicable rights and consent requirements vary by location; contact us with questions.

Children and updates

crosswords is a general-audience puzzle game, not a service specifically directed to children. We do not knowingly request children’s personal information. Contact us if you believe a child has provided such information. We may update this policy as the app or its services change; the effective date above identifies the current version.