Privacy notice

Last updated 9 November 2026

This notice explains, in plain English, what Word Search Maker collects, why, and what you can do about it.

Who we are

Word Search Maker is a product of SEO Intel. Daryn Potgieter, trading as SEO Intel, is responsible for your data (the "controller"). You can contact us about anything in this notice at hello@seo-intel.co.uk.

What we collect and why

• Your email address, when you download your first pack. We ask for it so the free service can keep going: it tells us how many people really use Word Search Maker. Our lawful basis is our legitimate interest in running and improving a free service.
• Your choices: that you said you are 18 or over and agreed to this notice and the terms, and whether you said yes to occasional emails about new features, with the date and the exact words you agreed to. We keep this to show what you agreed to.
• Simple counts: the date you joined, how many packs, weeks of practice and class sets you have made, and the date you last used the site.
• Feedback you send us with "Tell us what to fix". If you tick "you can reply to me", we keep your email with the message so we can answer.

We only send you emails about new features if you ticked the box to say yes. You can stop them at any time on the stop emails page or by emailing us.

What we never collect

• We never ask for, or keep, children's names or any details about children.
• We do not keep the words you type, your puzzle titles or your class name. Your puzzles are made in your own browser and are not sent to us.
• We do not sell your data, and there are no adverts.

A link you share with parents holds your words in the web address itself, after the "#". When someone opens the link, their browser sends those words to our server once so it can fill in the page; we do not keep them.

Cookies

One essential cookie. When you download, we set a small cookie called wsm_session so we remember you on that browser and do not ask for your email again. It holds a random, signed number, not your email. It lasts 12 months. "Not you?" on the page removes it.

Analytics cookies, only if you press Accept. We would like to see how the site is used so we can make it better. If you press Accept on the cookie banner we use:

• Google Analytics (Google), which counts visits and simple actions such as "preview made" or "pack downloaded", and the age group chosen. We never send it your email, the words you type or your class name.
• Microsoft Clarity (Microsoft), which shows how people move around the page, with all text and typing hidden, so it never records your words or your email.

If you press Reject, or make no choice, neither of these loads and they set no cookies. You can change your mind at any time with "Cookie settings" at the bottom of every page.

We also remember your cookie choice in your browser (not as a cookie) so the banner does not keep asking.

Your words and the preview

The words you type are sent to our server so it can draw your preview and make your PDF. We do not keep them. For up to 10 minutes, Cloudflare may hold the finished preview picture so that repeating the same preview is quick, then it is gone.

Who helps us

• Cloudflare hosts the website, makes your preview pictures and PDFs, and stores the data described above. It also runs a security check (Turnstile) when you download, to tell people from bots. The check does not track you across sites.
• Google (Google Analytics) and Microsoft (Clarity), only if you press Accept.

These companies may store data outside the UK, for example in the United States. Where they do, they use the legal safeguards UK law requires, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or the UK-US data bridge.

How long we keep it

We keep your record until you delete it, or until 24 months after you last used Word Search Maker, whichever comes first. Then it is deleted.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law (UK GDPR) you can:

• ask to see the data we hold about you;
• ask us to correct it;
• delete it: use "Delete my email and data" next to your email on the puzzle maker, or ask us by email;
• stop emails at any time, on the stop emails page;
• object to how we use your data.

Email hello@seo-intel.co.uk and we will reply within one month. If you are not happy with our answer, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

Adults only, and children

Word Search Maker is for adults: parents, grandparents, teachers and tutors. You must be 18 or over to download. Children use the printed pages, not the website.

Because the site is made for adults and we never collect information about children, we have designed it with the UK Age Appropriate Design Code (the Children's Code) in mind, and it is not a service directed to children under 13 under the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If you think a child has given us an email address, tell us and we will delete it.

Changes

If we change this notice we will update the date at the top. If a change matters, we will say so on the site.