Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 2025

At Kenyan Crossword, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our crossword puzzle platform. Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

  • • Create an account (email address, name, password)
  • • Subscribe to Premium (payment information processed by IntaSend)
  • • Contact us (name, email, message content)
  • • Participate in surveys or promotions

Usage Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use our platform:

  • • Puzzle completion data (times, accuracy, hints used)
  • • Device information (device type, browser, operating system)
  • • IP address and approximate location (for regional analytics)
  • • Cookies and similar tracking technologies
  • • Game statistics and preferences

Guest Users

If you play as a guest, we create a temporary anonymous session to track your current puzzle progress. This data is stored locally on your device and is not permanently associated with your identity.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • Account Management: Create and manage your user account, authenticate your identity
  • Service Delivery: Provide crossword puzzles, track progress, save game state
  • Payment Processing: Process Premium subscriptions securely through IntaSend
  • Statistics & Analytics: Display your personal statistics, build leaderboards, analyze usage patterns
  • Communication: Send account-related emails, subscription notifications, important updates
  • Improvement: Analyze aggregate data to improve puzzle quality and user experience
  • Security: Monitor for fraudulent activity, enforce terms of service, protect users
  • Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws and regulations

Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers

  • Supabase: Database and authentication services
  • IntaSend: Payment processing for Premium subscriptions
  • Vercel: Hosting and analytics

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the specified purposes.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Aggregate Data

We may share anonymized, aggregated statistical data that does not identify you personally (e.g., "50,000 puzzles completed last month").

Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience:

Essential Cookies

Required for the platform to function properly. These include authentication cookies, session management, and security tokens. These cannot be disabled.

Functional Cookies

Remember your preferences (theme, language) and settings to provide a personalized experience.

Analytics Cookies

Help us understand how you use the platform (via Vercel Analytics) so we can improve it. These cookies collect anonymous data about page visits and user flows.

Local Storage

We use browser local storage to save your game progress, preferences, and temporary data for offline functionality (PWA).

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:

  • • Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
  • • Secure authentication through Supabase
  • • PCI-DSS compliant payment processing via IntaSend
  • • Regular security audits and updates
  • • Access controls and authentication requirements
  • • Automatic backups and disaster recovery

Important: No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: Request a copy of your personal data we hold
  • Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
  • Export: Receive your data in a portable format
  • Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails (account-related emails may still be sent)
  • Object: Object to processing of your data for certain purposes

To exercise these rights, visit your profile settings or contact us at privacy@crossword.co.ke

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations:

  • Active accounts: Data retained while your account is active
  • Deleted accounts: Personal data deleted within 30 days; anonymized statistics may be retained
  • Payment records: Retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance
  • Guest sessions: Cleared after 30 days of inactivity

Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@crossword.co.ke and we will delete such information.

International Users

Kenyan Crossword is based in Kenya and primarily serves Kenyan users. If you access our platform from outside Kenya, please note that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Kenya. By using our service, you consent to this transfer and processing in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

  • • Posting the new policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date
  • • Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)
  • • Displaying a prominent notice on the platform

Your continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Your Privacy Matters

We're committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about our data practices.