How Countdown Tools handles information when you use this website.
Countdown Tools is operated by James Stanley. You can contact me at james@incoherency.co.uk.
This website is available at incoherency.co.uk/countdown and provides Countdown solver and practice tools.
This policy explains what information may be processed when you use Countdown Tools, why that happens, and what choices you have. It covers advertising, cookies, A/B testing, and analytics on this site.
This policy does not cover third-party websites that you may reach through links from this site.
When you use the letters or numbers solvers, or the practice game, you may enter letters, numbers, words, or other game inputs. That information is processed in your browser to provide the tool. For analytics, I also collect some usage information from the newer solver and practice pages, including letters shown in the main letters solver after short typing pauses, page views, and counters for actions such as solves, practice starts, conundrum use, word checks, and whether the optional working space was used. I do not ask you to create an account.
If you email me, or submit your email address for a product idea, I will receive the information you choose to send.
When you use the site, some technical information may be processed automatically, including:
Cookies are small files stored on your device. Similar technologies include local storage in your browser.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how parts of the site work.
If a consent message is shown to you on other pages on this site, you can change your advertising and cookie choices when that message is shown again, or by clearing cookies for this site in your browser settings.
This site uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google and its partners may use cookies and similar technologies to show and measure ads, including ads based on your prior visits to this site or other sites.
Google’s use of advertising cookies is described in How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps. You can manage Google ad personalisation at Google Ads Settings.
Where required by law, we ask for your consent before using cookies or similar technologies for advertising purposes. You can withdraw or change that consent at any time.
For more information about Google’s processing of personal data, see the Google Privacy Policy.
I may use first-party analytics to understand how visitors use Countdown Tools, such as which pages are visited, which site recommendations or product ideas are shown or clicked, and how often features are used. This includes counts of letters entered into the main letters solver after short typing pauses, selected solver and practice interactions, and page views recorded against a visit identifier.
If you submit an email address for a product idea, I store it with the product and displayed price so I can contact you about that product if it becomes available.
This site also uses Google Analytics to measure site usage. Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers to distinguish visitors and report statistics such as page views, approximate location, browser and device information, referral source, and interactions with the site. Google explains its Analytics data practices at Safeguarding your data, and its use of cookies at How Google uses cookies.
The site may also run A/B tests. For example, different visits may be shown different numbers of recommendation boxes so that I can compare page views and feature counters between variants. A/B test assignment is stored against the visit and is used only to understand and improve the site.
If analytics or testing use cookies or similar technologies, we will rely on consent where required by law.
We process information where necessary to:
Where required by law, we rely on your consent for advertising cookies and for analytics or testing cookies. Other processing may rely on legitimate interests in operating and improving the site, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
We do not sell your personal information.
Information may be shared with service providers that help us run the site, including Google for advertising and Google Analytics. These providers process information on our behalf or under their own terms as independent controllers where applicable.
We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, and security of users or the site.
Some service providers, including Google, may process information outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area. Where this happens, appropriate safeguards may be used as required by applicable law.
Server logs are kept only for as long as needed for security, troubleshooting, and routine administration. First-party analytics records, including visit counters and A/B test assignments, are kept for as long as they are useful for understanding and improving the site. Google Analytics data, consent records, and advertising-related identifiers are retained according to the periods used by our analytics, consent, and advertising providers. Email correspondence and product-interest signups are kept for as long as needed to deal with the enquiry or product interest.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to certain processing of your personal information, and to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).
To exercise your rights, contact james@incoherency.co.uk.
This site is intended for general audiences and is not directed at children. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps.
We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will be revised when changes are made.
Questions about this policy can be sent to james@incoherency.co.uk.