Privacy Policy

Last Updated: August 2026

Cluewise ("we", "our", or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our mobile application.

Before you can use Cluewise, we ask you to review and accept this Privacy Policy on first launch. You may decline, but the app cannot be used without acceptance.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Display Name: If you opt into the leaderboard, you may provide a display name (up to 15 characters). This is optional and you can use any name you choose.

Automatically Collected Information

• Game Statistics: Games played, games won, current streak, best streak, level, and scores
• Game Preferences: Theme selection, sound/haptic settings, difficulty level, and other in-app settings
• Anonymous Player ID: If you opt into the leaderboard, a random identifier (UUID) is generated on your device to associate your leaderboard entry with your device. It is not linked to your name, email, or any personal account.
• Device Information: Platform (iOS/Android) and app version
• Words You Type: When you submit a guess, the word may be sent to our servers to check whether it is a valid word. Guesses are used only for validation and are not linked to your identity.

Third-Party Data Collection

Our app uses third-party services that may collect information:

• Google AdMob: Displays advertisements and may collect device identifiers, ad interaction data, and device information. Google Privacy Policy
• Firebase (Google): Provides daily puzzles, word validation, word trivia, and leaderboard functionality. Firebase Privacy Policy
• Dictionary API: When you request word definitions, the word is sent to dictionaryapi.dev (no personal data is transmitted)

How We Use Information

• To save your game progress, statistics, and preferences locally on your device
• To validate the words you guess and to deliver daily puzzles and word trivia
• To display your scores on the global leaderboard (only if you opt in)
• To protect the leaderboard against tampering and fraudulent scores
• To show advertisements
• To provide word definitions when requested

Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. Data is shared only with:

• Google: For ad serving through AdMob
• Firebase (Google): For daily puzzles, word validation, word trivia, and leaderboard functionality (leaderboard is opt-in only)

What the Leaderboard Stores

If you opt in, the following is sent to and stored on our Firebase servers so we can rank players:

• Your chosen display name
• Your anonymous player ID (UUID)
• Total score, games played, games won, level, and best streak
• Platform (iOS/Android) and app version
• A device-generated secret and checksum used only to verify that scores are genuine and have not been tampered with

We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, precise location, contacts, or advertising-independent device identifiers for the leaderboard.

Data Storage

• Local Data: Your game progress, statistics, and preferences are stored locally on your device using the Hive database and device preferences
• Definition Cache: Word definitions you look up are cached locally (up to 500 recent lookups)
• Leaderboard Data: If you opt in, your display name, anonymous player ID, and scores are stored on Firebase servers located in the EU (europe-west2 region)

Your Rights and Choices

Leaderboard

• Participation is completely optional and requires explicit opt-in
• You can disable leaderboard participation at any time in Settings

Deleting Your Data

• Local Data: Uninstalling the app removes all locally stored data
• Leaderboard Data: Contact us to request removal of your leaderboard data

Advertising

• Consent: If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we ask for your consent before showing personalized ads, using Google's User Messaging Platform. You can review or change your choices at any time from Settings > Ad Privacy Options inside the app.
• iOS: On first launch we ask permission to use your device's advertising identifier. You can change this at any time in Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. Declining does not restrict any part of the game.
• Android: You can opt out of personalized ads in Settings > Google > Ads

Children's Privacy

Cluewise is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have the right to:

• Know what personal information is collected
• Request deletion of personal information
• Opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)

European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to data processing
• Data portability

Leaderboard Rules

• We reserve the right to remove offensive or inappropriate display names
• We may remove scores that appear to be fraudulent or manipulated
• Leaderboard participation may be revoked for violations

Data Retention

• Local Data: Retained until you uninstall the app
• Leaderboard Data: Retained while your leaderboard entry is active; deleted upon request
• Definition Cache: Up to 500 recent lookups stored locally

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of changes by updating the "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at:

Email: contactwordquest@gmail.com

Cluewise is developed by BrainExplore