1. Who We Are

Sudoku Area ("we", "us") is a free Sudoku puzzle and learning platform available at sudokuarea.com and as a mobile app. This document explains what personal data we process and how.

2. Data We Collect

When you create an account, we store:

• Email address (for login and password reset)
• Nickname (displayed in leaderboards)
• Hashed password (we never store plaintext passwords)
• Game history: difficulty, time, score, mistakes
• Friend list and friend requests
• Locale preference
• Purchase and subscription status
• Crash diagnostics, device and app version data
• Push notification token when notifications are enabled

You can play as a guest without an account; in that case no personal data is stored on our servers.

3. How We Use Your Data

• To authenticate you and protect your account
• To display your stats, achievements, and leaderboard standings
• To send password reset emails when requested
• To enable multiplayer matchmaking and friend features

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing.

4. Service Providers

We use Firebase for social authentication, RevenueCat for subscription status, Sentry for crash diagnostics, Expo for push delivery, Resend for account emails, and Google Mobile Ads when ads are enabled. These providers process only the data required to deliver their service under their own privacy terms.

5. Cookies & Local Storage

We use browser local storage to remember your login token, language preference, theme, and offline puzzle progress. We do not use third-party tracking cookies.

6. Data Retention

Your account data is kept until you delete your account. Game history and statistics are retained as long as your account is active.

7. Your Rights & Account Deletion

You have the right to:

• Access the data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data (via the profile page)
• Delete your account permanently
• Export your data (contact us)

To delete your account, go to Profile → Settings → Delete Account. Your email and password will be removed and your nickname anonymized. Game records remain anonymously to preserve leaderboard integrity.

8. Security

Passwords are hashed using bcrypt. All API traffic is encrypted via HTTPS. We follow industry-standard security practices but cannot guarantee absolute security on the internet.

9. Children's Privacy

Sudoku Area is suitable for all ages. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy occasionally. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

11. Contact

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at: support@sudokuarea.com