Privacy Policy

Gate Sort: Plane Puzzle, by Layer3 Studios LLC · Effective November 6, 2026

Who we are

Gate Sort: Plane Puzzle ("the game") is made by Layer3 Studios LLC ("we", "us"). This policy covers the game on iPhone, on Android and in a web browser.

What the game collects

While you play, the game records gameplay events and sends them to us. Each event contains:

• A random player ID, created on your device the first time you play, and a random ID for each time you open the game. They aren't linked to your name, your device's hardware IDs or any account. If you ask us to delete your data, we keep that email, and so the ID, for 24 months as a record.
• What happened in the game: which puzzle (level) you played, the moves you made, undos, restarts, when you used a hint and what it showed, and whether the puzzle was cleared or got stuck. For the practice round that teaches the game: which of its steps you finished, whether you finished or skipped it, and how long it took.
• Technical details: the time of the event, whether you play on the web, iPhone or Android, the game's version, the version of the puzzle order you have, and, if the puzzle order couldn't be loaded or used, a short technical reason why.
• How you found the game: on the web, the tag of a link you opened the game from, if it had one (for example a link we shared with a group of testers). The tag is kept on your device and sent with your later events too. In the apps, events say which version sent them: the App Store or Google Play version, or which test version (TestFlight or Google Play testing). Events from a device where the testers' level jump has been used say so, so testing is kept apart from normal play.

In the iPhone and Android apps (and on the web when a test link turns it on), the game has hint and undo counts, and, except in version 1.0 of the iPhone app from the App Store, ads. There, events also record hints and undos earned and used (including daily and milestone rewards), how many you have, the "Want a hand?" offer and your answer, which ads were shown and whether they were watched to the end, closed or not available, which version of the hint and undo numbers you have, and whether the "Test: remove ads" switch in test versions is on. On the web these ads are clearly labelled placeholder screens that load nothing from any ad network.

Ads in the apps (Google AdMob)

Which versions: the Android app, the iPhone app from the App Store (version 1.0.1 and later), and test versions of the game on iPhone and Android may show ads provided by Google AdMob, served through Ring3 Consulting LLC's AdMob account. Version 1.0 of the iPhone app from the App Store contains no ads software and shows no ads, so nothing in this section applies to it.

To show ads, measure them and prevent fraud, Google collects data from your device directly, under its own privacy policy: your device's advertising ID and other device identifiers (on iPhone, Apple's advertising identifier only if you allow tracking), approximate location (from your IP address), device and app information, how you interact with the app and its ads, and diagnostic and crash data. Google may use the advertising ID to show ads based on your interests. Ads are limited to content suitable for a general audience with parental guidance, and never interrupt a puzzle: the only ad during a puzzle is one you choose to watch. Ad sound is muted.

In the Google Play version, and in the App Store version of the iPhone app from version 1.0.1, we can switch ads off, and they are off when the app first launches. While they are off, the app shows no ads, doesn't ask about ads, and doesn't start Google's ads software or ask it for any ad, so the game sends Google AdMob none of the data above. When we switch them on, everything in this section applies from your next launch of the app.

Test versions of the game (the builds we give testers through TestFlight and Google Play testing) show Google's test ads, which are marked "Test Ad", unless a tester turns on "Test: ads off" in the game's Settings ("Test: remove ads" only hides the ads: Google's ads software still starts). Our switch for the store versions doesn't affect them: everything in this section applies to them.

• Your consent. Where the law requires it (for example in the EU, UK and Switzerland, and some US states), the app asks for your choices before any ad is requested: the first time you leave a cleared puzzle (after you have played the practice round, from the second one) or tap to watch an ad, whichever comes first, and again later if Google needs your choices again; never when the game opens. If you say no, you still get ads, but not personalized ones, and the game works the same.
• On iPhone, from version 1.0.1 the App Store version may ask for your permission to track you (Apple's tracking question), right after the consent choices above, only while ads are on: at that same moment, and again later only if you haven't answered yet; never when the game opens. Test versions of the game may ask too, as part of testing ads. If you don't allow it, Apple's advertising identifier isn't shared, you still get ads and the game works the same, and you can change this any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking. Version 1.0 of the iPhone app from the App Store contains no ads software: it shows no ads, doesn't ask for permission to track you and doesn't use Apple's advertising identifier.
• Changing your choices. Where Google requires it, "Privacy choices" in the app's Settings (tap the level number, then Settings) reopens the consent choices. On Android you can reset or delete your advertising ID in your phone's Google settings.
• How Google uses data from apps that show its ads: policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

What the game does not collect

The game doesn't collect your name, email address, phone number, precise location, contacts, photos, or microphone or camera input. Our own gameplay events don't include your advertising ID or location. The game sets no cookies. Apart from Google AdMob in the Android app, in the iPhone app from version 1.0.1 and in test versions, described above, it contains no advertising or tracking code from other companies.

Saved on your device

The game saves these on your device: your progress (including which levels you cleared without retries, undos or hints), your settings (such as vibration), your hints, your undos and test settings, whether the testers' level jump has been used, your random player ID, gameplay events that haven't been sent yet, the link tag (on the web), the current puzzle order and hint and undo numbers, whether you have finished or skipped the practice round, and whether you have been asked about ads. In the Android app, the iPhone app from version 1.0.1 and test versions, Google AdMob saves your consent choices on your device. Apart from the events and the tag, which are sent as described above, they stay there. In the app they are also included in your phone's normal backups (iCloud or Google), which are controlled by your Apple or Google account. If you play offline, gameplay events wait on your device and are sent the next time you are online.

If you email us

If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you write, and use them only to reply to you. Where the law requires a legal basis, we rely on our legitimate interest in answering your question. We keep the email only as long as we need it to help you, except that if you ask us to delete your data, we keep that email and our reply for 24 months as a record that we did it, and then delete them.

Why we collect it

We use gameplay events only to understand how players get on with the puzzles: which ones are too hard or feel unfair, where players stop, and whether hints help, so that we can improve the game and fix problems. Where the law requires a legal basis (for example in the EU or UK), we rely on our legitimate interest in improving the game, which we consider low-impact because the events contain no name or contact details and are linked to a random ID rather than to your name.

Who handles the data

We don't sell your data. We use these service providers:

• Supabase, which hosts the database where gameplay events are stored.
• Vercel, which hosts the web version of the game and this privacy policy and support page.
• Our email provider, which hosts our support mailbox (only if you email us).

In the Android app and the iPhone app (from version 1.0.1) while ads are on, and in test versions unless a tester turns on "Test: ads off", Google receives the data described under "Ads in the apps" for advertising. Where a law treats that as sharing your data for advertising, your consent choices and your phone's settings described there let you limit it.

When the game starts, it also downloads the current puzzle order and hint and undo numbers from our database; this sends nothing about you. Like any website or online service, these providers receive your device's IP address and basic browser or device information when the game connects to them, and their standard server logs may keep it for a short time. We don't store your IP address with your gameplay events. Apple and Google distribute the apps and may give us summary statistics and crash reports under their own privacy policies.

How long we keep it

We keep gameplay events for 24 months from when they are recorded, and then delete them.

Your choices

• Deleting the app, or clearing the website's data in your browser, deletes your progress and your random player ID from that device. If you play again, you get a new ID, unless your phone restores the app's data from an iCloud or Google backup, which can bring back the same ID and progress.
• Deleting your data. To have the gameplay events linked to you deleted, or for any other question or request about your data (including a request under privacy laws where you live), email us at support@layer3studios.com. Please include your player ID: it's in the game's Settings under "Your player ID", with a Copy button (tap the level number, then Settings). It's there from version 1.0.1 of the game, which is on its way; if your game doesn't show it yet, email us anyway and we'll tell you when you can find it. The player ID is the only way we can find your events, because the game doesn't know your name or email. We'll delete every event recorded with that ID and email you when it's done. Copies in our database provider's backups are removed when those expire, and if you keep playing, new events are recorded under the same ID.
• The game currently has no setting to turn off gameplay events.

Children

The game isn't directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from children. The gameplay events described above contain no name or contact details.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we'll update this page and the effective date at the top.

Contact

Layer3 Studios LLC
Email: support@layer3studios.com