Effective date: 27 September 2026
This page explains what personal data MyCrossword collects, why, who else sees it, and what you can do about it. It sits alongside our .
No ads, no data sales
We don't show third-party ads or sell your data.
Anonymous analytics
Page views are counted without linking them to your account.
Private by default
Your email address is never shown to other users.
You're in control
Edit your profile, turn off emails or delete your account at any time.
MyCrossword (www.mycrossword.co.uk) is an independently run site for setting, solving and talking about crosswords. We're responsible for the personal data described on this page.
For anything privacy related, email support@mycrossword.co.uk or use the contact form.
Your account
To create an account we ask for a username, your first and last name, an email address and a password. Your password is stored securely, so nobody at MyCrossword can read it.
You can also add a bio, location, website, Bluesky handle and the publications you set for. These are all optional.
Things you create
Crosswords and clues, comments and replies, likes and votes, clue contest entries and blog comments.
Solving activity
When you're signed in and open a crossword, we record how much of the grid you've filled in and when, so we can show your progress and solving history.
Messages you send us
If you use the contact form, we keep your name, email address and message, along with your account if you're signed in.
Analytics
We use PostHog to count page views, completed crosswords and clicks on our Ko-fi link. These events aren't linked to your account, but PostHog sets a cookie to recognise repeat visits and, like any web service, receives your IP address.
Your username and any optional profile details you add are public, as are your published crosswords, comments and clue contest entries. Your first and last name are shown on your profile, and its Activity tab shows which crosswords you've opened each day and how much of each you've filled in.
Your email address is never shown to other users. Site administrators can see it when running and moderating the site.
- To run your account and the features you use, such as publishing crosswords, commenting and tracking your solves.
- To send the emails your account needs, and the notifications you choose to receive.
- To keep the site safe, by moderating content and preventing abuse.
- To understand how the site is used, so we can improve it.
Under UK data protection law, we use your data to provide the service you signed up for, and for our legitimate interests in keeping the site safe and improving it. We never sell your data or use it for advertising.
Most of our cookies are needed for the site to work or to remember your settings. None are used for advertising.
| Cookie | What it does | How long |
|---|---|---|
__session | Keeps you signed in | 1 year |
preferences | Remembers your light or dark mode and grid colour | 1 year |
editCrosswordSettings | Remembers your crossword editor and sidebar settings | 1 year |
grid-designer | Remembers your grid designer settings | 1 year |
table-… | Remembers how you sort and filter tables | 1 year |
banner | Remembers announcements you have dismissed | 1 year |
cookieConsent | Remembers that you have seen our cookie notice | 1 year |
toast | Shows a confirmation message after an action | Cleared once shown |
ph_…_posthog | PostHog analytics: recognises repeat visits | 1 year |
We use a small number of other services to run MyCrossword. They only receive what they need to do their job.
| Service | What it does | What it receives |
|---|---|---|
| Heroku | Hosts the site and its database | All of the data described on this page |
| Our email provider | Sends account emails and notifications | Your email address and the content of the email |
| PostHog | Anonymous analytics | Page views and events, and your IP address |
| Free Dictionary API | Dictionary lookups in the crossword editor | The word you look up |
| Datamuse | Related words and phrase finder tools | Your search terms only, sent from our server |
| Ko-fi | Handles support payments, if you choose to support us | Whatever you give Ko-fi. Ko-fi shares your supporter details with us so we can add your benefits |
Some pages, such as Links, show images hosted on other sites, so your browser loads them directly from those sites.
We always send the emails your account needs, like verifying your address and resetting your password.
We also send notifications, such as comments on your crosswords, blog posts or forum topics, Featured series review updates and clue contest results. You can turn these off in your profile settings by unticking "Receive email notifications". We don't send marketing emails.
We keep your account data for as long as you have an account. You can edit your profile at any time, and delete your account from your account settings.
When you delete your account
- Your name, email address, bio, location, website, social handles and the publications you set for are removed, and your profile and its activity are no longer visible.
- Your crosswords and crossword comments are hidden from the site, and comments show as "Deleted".
- Your username is kept, so it cannot be reused.
Blog comments, clue contest entries and comments, and votes are not removed when you delete your account.
Other data
Solving activity and messages sent through the contact form are not currently deleted automatically.
Under UK data protection law, you can ask us to:
- give you a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- correct anything that is wrong
- delete your data
- stop or limit how we use your data
- give you your data in a format you can take elsewhere
Email support@mycrossword.co.uk to make a request. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
If we change this policy, we'll update the effective date at the top of the page. For significant changes, we'll also let you know on the site or by email.
Questions about your data?
Get in touch and we'll help.