1. Overview & Privacy by Design
CrypticPuzzle.com ("we", "our", or "the Platform") operates https://crypticpuzzle.com/. We are dedicated to providing accessible, engaging cryptic crossword puzzles, 5x5 mini grids, and pedagogical guides.
Our core architecture follows the principle of data minimization. Unlike traditional online gaming platforms that require users to sign in with social media profiles or email accounts before playing, CrypticPuzzle.com is completely accessible without any user authentication. You can open any daily puzzle, solve it, view post-solve wordplay breakdowns, and check your streak without submitting personal data.
2. Client-Side Local Storage (localStorage)
To provide a seamless, offline-first experience without requiring cloud user accounts, CrypticPuzzle.com stores your puzzle progress, interface preferences, and solving streaks directly in your browser's local web storage (window.localStorage). This data is never sent to our servers; it resides exclusively on your device.
| Storage Key | Purpose | Sample Stored Value |
|---|---|---|
| cryptic-theme | Remembers your preferred color theme across sessions (prevents flash of unstyled content). | "light" | "dark" | "system" |
| cryptic-sound-effects | Saves whether keyboard typing clicks and celebratory puzzle chimes are enabled or muted. | "enabled" | "muted" |
| cryptic-streak | Tracks current consecutive daily solves, maximum recorded streak, and flawless (0-hint) completions. | {"current": 14, "max": 28, "flawless": 11} |
| cryptic-daily-solve-history | Maintains a record of which daily puzzle IDs have been completed on this browser. | ["clue-141", "clue-142"] |
| cryptic-mini-active-state | Saves intermediate typed letters in the 5x5 Mini Crossword arena so progress is not lost if the page reloads. | Array of cell letter objects |
How to reset or delete your local data: You can completely clear all saved streaks, answers, and preferences at any time by clearing your browser's site data / cookies for crypticpuzzle.com in your browser settings.
3. Server Logs & Web Analytics
Like virtually all websites, when you request a webpage from CrypticPuzzle.com, our hosting web servers (e.g., Cloudflare Pages, edge reverse proxies) automatically record standard internet server log entries. These entries may include:
- Your device's Internet Protocol (IP) address
- Browser type and version (User-Agent string)
- Referring website and exit pages
- Operating system and device platform
- Date, time, and duration of the HTTP/HTTPS request
This data is used solely for infrastructure diagnostics, mitigating distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, monitoring site performance metrics (such as Core Web Vitals and load times), and ensuring high platform availability. Server logs are automatically purged in accordance with standard edge-cache retention cycles.
5. Your GDPR & CCPA/CPRA Privacy Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction (such as the European Economic Area under GDPR, the United Kingdom under UK GDPR, or California under the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA), you have specific statutory privacy rights:
Right to Access & Portability
You have the right to request details regarding the data collected about you. Because all solve progress is stored in your own browser's localStorage, you already possess direct access to your solving record.
Right to Erasure ("Right to Be Forgotten")
You can purge your entire game state by clearing your browser cache. If you have sent us an email correspondence and wish for it to be deleted, simply email our privacy officer.
Right to Opt Out of Data Sales
We do not sell personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA. We do not exchange player information for monetary or other valuable consideration.
Non-Discrimination Guarantee
We will never discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights. You enjoy identical access to all puzzles and lessons regardless of your privacy preferences.
6. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
CrypticPuzzle.com provides general audience intellectual word games and educational tutorials. We do not knowingly solicit, collect, or maintain personal identifiable information from children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in certain European jurisdictions).
If a parent or guardian discovers that a child has inadvertently submitted personal information to us via our contact form or email, please contact us immediately at privacy@crypticpuzzle.com, and we will promptly delete that information from our correspondence records.
7. Data Security & Encryption
We take the security of CrypticPuzzle.com seriously. All traffic between your browser and our servers is secured and encrypted via modern Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS). We continuously audit our dependencies, employ strict Content Security Policies, and adhere to industry best practices to prevent unauthorized access or interception.
8. Revisions & Contact Information
We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect modifications to platform features, regulatory requirements, or privacy best practices. Any revisions will be posted directly to this URL with an updated "Last Updated" timestamp at the top of the page.
If you have questions, feedback, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or your privacy rights, please reach out through our dedicated channels: