Tide Trail support

Tide Trail is coming to the App Store in December 2026 and is on TestFlight now. For questions, feedback or help, email support@hineskeep.com. A real person (Austin, the developer) reads every message.

How do I play?

Start on shell 1 and drag your finger up, down, left or right. Pass the numbered shells in order (1, 2, 3…), visit every square of the tide pool exactly once, and finish on the last shell. Every level has exactly one solution.

I reached the last shell, but the level didn't finish

Every square must be filled. If you reach the last shell with squares still empty, a coral message says "Fill every square!" and the empty squares pulse. Drag back along your line to undo, then route through the squares you missed.

How do the blue arrow squares work?

From level 21, blue arrow squares are ocean currents. Your line can cross a current square only in the direction its arrow points: you can't enter it against the arrow or turn while you're on it.

How do I undo?

Drag back along your line as far as you like, or tap Undo to go back to the previous shell. Wrong moves never cost anything.

What are Hard levels and the tide?

Hard and Super Hard levels have a tide timer. If the tide goes out before you finish, you can keep your line and get more time (watch a short video or spend coins), or simply retry. Freeze stops the tide for 20 seconds.

What is the Daily Tide?

One calm puzzle a day, with no timer, on the home screen's Daily Tide card. Finish it on consecutive days to grow your streak: the milestones pay coins, and a 7-day streak brings a new critter. Missed a day? Once a week you can save your streak by watching a short video.

The critter album

Pebble the otter swims your routes from the start. The crab joins at level 5, then a new friend every 10 levels, plus one at a 7-day streak, up to 12 in all. Open Album on the home screen to see them.

Where are the settings?

The home screen appears after level 6. Its gear (top left) opens the settings: sound, music, vibration, the daily reminder, this page, the privacy policy and Restore purchases.

The daily reminder

After your first Daily Tide the game asks whether you'd like one gentle reminder a day. Tap "Remind me" and iOS asks its own permission; tap "Not now" and the game asks once more at a 3-day streak, then never again. Turn it on or off any time with the Daily reminder switch in the settings. If you once told iOS no, the switch sends you to your iPhone's Settings → Notifications → Tide Trail, where you can allow notifications again.

Ads, and the tracking question

Tide Trail is free with ads. Short ads play between some levels from level 12 on, never during a puzzle, and they stop for good with Remove Ads or the Starter Pack. Reward videos (triple coins after a win, a free hint, more time against the tide, saving a streak) only play when you tap their button; they're always optional and stay available after Remove Ads.

The first time you reach the home screen, iOS asks once whether Tide Trail may track you. "Allow" lets the ad service use your advertising identifier to pick ads for you; "Ask App Not to Track" gives you general ads instead. Nothing in the game changes either way. Change your answer under Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → Tide Trail. The privacy policy explains what the ad and analytics services collect.

What can I buy?

Open the shop with the coin counter at the top of any level, or with Shop on the home screen. Prices show in the app in your local currency; Apple takes the payment.

• Remove Ads: no more ads between levels, for good. Reward videos stay yours to choose.
• Starter Pack (once): Remove Ads plus 600 coins, 5 hints and 2 freezes.
• Shell Pouch, Tide Chest and Harbor Vault: 600, 1,800 or 4,200 coins. Coins buy hints, freezes and more time when the tide goes out.

How do I restore a purchase?

On a new iPhone, or after reinstalling, open the settings (the gear on the home screen) or the shop and tap Restore purchases. Sign in with the Apple ID you bought with. Remove Ads and the Starter Pack come back at no charge. Coins, hints and freezes are kept in your save file on your iPhone, so Apple can't restore them, and deleting the app loses them.

A purchase didn't arrive

Give it a moment, then tap Restore purchases. If it's still missing, email us with your Apple receipt's order ID (never your card details) and we'll sort it out. Refunds are handled by Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

Is my progress saved? What if I delete the app?

Your progress is saved automatically on your iPhone. There's no account, so deleting the app also deletes your progress, coins, hints and streak. Remove Ads and the Starter Pack can be restored afterwards.

Found a bug?

Email support@hineskeep.com and include:

1. your iPhone model and iOS version (for example, iPhone 16, iOS 26);
2. the level number you were on;
3. what happened, and a screenshot if you can.

How Tide Trail handles your data: privacy policy.