Privacy Policy

Site operator

OWdle (https://playowdle.com) is an independent, unofficial fan project and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment. For privacy purposes, the operator of OWdle is the data controller and can be reached at [email protected].

Information collected

Accounts are optional; every puzzle can be played without one. The following information is collected:

Provided by users

• Accounts (optional). A user who creates an account provides an email address and either a password or a Google or Discord sign-in. For Google and Discord, OWdle receives only the account’s ID and email address. Passwords are stored only as a one-way hash (argon2id). The account also stores the results of finished daily puzzles so streaks carry across devices, and whether the user opted in to product emails (off unless they tick the box). While signed in, analytics events are linked to the account’s random ID (never its email address) so play across devices counts as one player; deleting the account deletes that analytics profile too.
• Feedback. If a user submits feedback, the text they provide is stored. Users should avoid including personal details they don’t want stored.
• Tips. If a user tips through the embedded Ko-fi panel, the payment is handled entirely by Ko-fi; card details are never seen by OWdle.

Collected automatically

Standard analytics tools, including Google Analytics, are used to understand how the game is used. They record:

• Pages viewed, page exits, errors, and general gameplay activity.
• Technical and approximate-location data: IP address (used to estimate country/region/city), device type, browser, operating system, screen size, the referring page, and any campaign parameters.
• A randomly generated, anonymous identifier. Identified profiles are not created for anonymous visitors.

Session replay

Analytics may include session replay — anonymized recordings of on-page interactions, used to diagnose bugs and usability issues. When used, it captures only a sample of sessions, masks text entered into form fields, and never records payment information.

Stored in the browser

Puzzle progress, streaks, and game settings are saved in the browser’s local storage. Without an account, that data stays on the device and is not transmitted to OWdle. When signed in, results of finished daily puzzles are copied to the account.

Cookies and similar technologies

OWdle and its partners use cookies and similar browser storage for the purposes below. In the EU/UK, non-essential and advertising cookies are only set after the user consents through the cookie banner (see Advertising).

• Strictly necessary — keeping the site online and protecting it against abuse, including Cloudflare Turnstile on the sign-in forms.
• Sign-in: a single cookie (owdle_session) that keeps a signed-in user signed in. It is only set after signing in and is removed on sign-out.
• Analytics — anonymous usage measurement and error reporting, including Google Analytics (_ga cookies).
• Advertising — third-party advertising partners, for delivering, capping, personalizing, and measuring ads (when ads are live).
• Payments — Ko-fi, only if the tip panel is opened.
• Local storage — saving puzzle progress and settings in the browser; not a cookie and not sent off the device.

Cookies and local storage can be cleared at any time through the browser settings, and Google Analytics can be opted out of with Google’s opt-out add-on.

Advertising

OWdle is supported by ads served through third-party advertising partners (when ads are live).

These partners use cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to this and other websites, and to select, deliver, cap, measure, and personalize those ads. Users can control this through the choices described below.

Ad choices

• EU/UK: before any advertising or non-essential cookies load, a consent banner appears where users can accept or reject ad personalization and analytics.
• California and other US: users can opt out of the “sale/share” of their information for personalized advertising — see Do Not Sell or Share.

How information is used

• Run, maintain, and improve the game.
• Understand how the game is used, and diagnose errors and performance issues.
• Display, cap, measure, and (with consent) personalize ads.
• Respond to feedback.
• Provide accounts: sign-in, syncing streaks across devices, and account emails (email confirmation and password reset).
• Protect the site against abuse, fraud, and security threats.

Legal bases (EEA / UK)

For users in the European Economic Area or the UK, OWdle relies on these legal bases under the GDPR:

• Legitimate interests — operating and securing the site and understanding aggregate usage.
• Contract: operating an account a user chose to create.
• Consent — for product emails (opt-in), non-essential cookies and for advertising and ad personalization. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

How information is shared

OWdle does not sell users’ personal information for money. Data is shared only with the providers needed to run the site:

• Analytics providers, including Google.
• A hosting and content-delivery provider.
• Third-party advertising partners.
• Ko-fi, only if a user chooses to tip.
• Google or Discord, only if a user chooses to sign in with them.
• An email delivery provider (Resend), to send account emails.

Under California law, allowing ad partners to use this information for personalized advertising may be considered a “sale” or “share.” See Do Not Sell or Share.

International transfers: some providers are located in the United States, so information may be processed there. Where required, transfers from the EEA/UK rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses and/or the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

Privacy rights

EEA / UK (GDPR): users have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to the processing of their personal data, to data portability, and to withdraw consent. Users may also lodge a complaint with their local data protection authority.

California (CCPA/CPRA): California users have the right to know what is collected, to delete it, to correct it, to opt out of its sale or sharing, and not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights.

To exercise any of these, users can email [email protected]. Signed-in users can also delete their account and its synced history at any time from the account menu. For visitors without an account, much of the data held is anonymous and may not be linkable to a specific person; OWdle may request information to help locate the data or verify a request.

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

California residents (and users covered by a similar US state law) can opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of their personal information for personalized advertising:

• Use the choices in the consent/privacy banner shown with the ads, or
• Enable a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal in the browser — a valid GPC signal is treated as a request to opt out, or
• Email [email protected].

Children’s privacy

OWdle is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 where that is the applicable age of digital consent). OWdle does not knowingly collect personal information from children. Anyone who believes a child has provided information can contact [email protected] to have it removed.

Data retention

Analytics data is retained for a limited period according to the analytics providers’ standard settings. Feedback is kept for as long as it is useful. Account data is kept until the user deletes the account, which removes it immediately. Data stored in the browser remains until the user clears it.

Security

OWdle uses reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the limited data it handles, including serving the site over HTTPS. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so absolute security cannot be guaranteed.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated as the site evolves. The “Last updated” date at the top will be revised, and significant changes will be made more prominent.

Contact

Questions about this policy or user data can be sent to [email protected].