1. Who is responsible
The Service is operated under the name Puzzles Almanac. For anything privacy-related — questions, requests, complaints — contact [email protected]. This policy covers the puzzlesalmanac.com website, the pzzl.ist short-link domain, and our iOS and Android applications (together, the “Service”).
2. What we collect
Account data. Your email address (and an optional backup email), a display name if you set one, your preferred language, and your account tier. Sign-in uses one-time email codes — we never store a password.
Content you create. Word lists, clues, puzzle projects, suggested themes, and feedback messages you send us.
Activity data. Which puzzles you have solved (for streaks and archives), your saved preferences such as text size, and — if you entered or scanned a book code — which book brought you to the site and how you arrived (this is stored once, when you first sign in, and used to group readers by book).
Technical data. Standard server logs (IP address, browser type, pages requested) kept briefly for security and debugging, and aggregate usage statistics via Google Analytics (see the Cookie Policy).
3. How we use it
- To provide the Service: sign you in, save your projects, remember your preferences, track solved puzzles and daily limits.
- To send transactional email: sign-in codes and account notices (email changes, deletion confirmations).
- To send an occasional newsletter and new-book announcements, if you have an account. Every such email includes an unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing never affects your access to the Service.
- To understand how the Service is used in aggregate (analytics) and to improve it.
- To keep the Service secure and prevent abuse.
Where GDPR applies, our legal bases are: performance of our contract with you (providing the Service), our legitimate interests (security, analytics, improving the Service, and telling existing users about our books), and your consent where we ask for it. You can object to marketing at any time via the unsubscribe link or by emailing us.
4. What we never do
- We do not sell or rent your personal information — to anyone, ever.
- We do not show third-party advertising or share your data with ad networks.
- We do not send daily marketing email — at most a weekly touchpoint, always with an unsubscribe link.
5. Who we share data with
Only service providers that help us run the Service, and only what they need for that job:
- Hosting and database providers that run the website and store its data.
- Backblaze (cloud file storage) for generated and uploaded files such as PDFs.
- Email delivery providers to send sign-in codes and newsletters.
- Google Analytics for aggregate traffic statistics — the only third-party analytics/cookie service we use (details in the Cookie Policy).
- Telegram, used internally to notify our own administrators of events like a new sign-up or a feedback message; these notifications can include your email address and message text and are visible only to our admins.
Beyond that, we disclose personal data only if the law requires it, or to protect the Service and its users. Data may be processed in the United States and other countries; where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for such transfers.
6. Cookies
We use a small set of cookies: essential ones (your sign-in session, daily puzzle limits), preference ones (text size, a book code you entered), and Google Analytics. The full list, with lifetimes and purposes, is in the Cookie Policy.
7. How long we keep data
Account data and your content are kept while your account exists. When you delete your account (Account Settings → Delete account), your account, projects, preferences, and solve history are permanently deleted; content you had made public is removed, and themes you suggested are de-linked from you. Server logs and backups age out on short, fixed schedules.
8. Your rights
Wherever you live, you can access, correct, or delete your data — most of it directly from your dashboard, and the rest by emailing [email protected]. We answer within 30 days.
If you are in the EU/EEA or UK (GDPR): you have the rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, data portability, and objection, and the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
If you are a California resident (CCPA/CPRA): you have the right to know what personal information we collect, to delete it, and to non-discrimination for exercising those rights. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined in the CCPA, so there is nothing to opt out of.
9. Children
Accounts require a minimum age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Public puzzles can be enjoyed by all ages without an account. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.
10. Mobile applications
Our iOS and Android apps collect the same account and activity data described above — no more. The apps contain no third-party advertising SDKs. Apple and Google may collect their own diagnostics (crash reports, install statistics) under their own privacy policies. App accounts are the same as website accounts, and account deletion works the same way and removes the same data.
11. Security
Data is encrypted in transit, sign-in codes expire in minutes, and administrative access is restricted to a small number of named administrators. No online service can promise perfect security, but we keep the surface small: no passwords stored, no payment data handled, no data resold.
12. Changes and contact
When this policy changes materially, we update the effective date above and, for significant changes, give notice on the site or by email. Questions or requests: [email protected].