The Short Version
Elite Word Search does not directly collect, store, or transmit any personal data. The site has no user accounts and no first-party tracking. Everything runs in your browser and disappears when you close the page. We use Google Analytics to understand site usage and Google AdSense to support the site — both may use cookies. Downloaded PDF puzzles are always ad-free.
Data Collection
Elite Word Search does not collect personal data directly. We do not require accounts, emails, or sign-ups. Specifically:
- No personal information collected by us (no names, emails, or accounts)
- No IP address logging by the application
How the Site Works
Elite Word Search is a client-side JavaScript application. All puzzle generation, word placement, and PDF creation happen entirely in your web browser. Your words, puzzle layouts, and downloaded PDFs are never uploaded to any server. When you close the browser tab, all data is gone.
PDF Generation
PDF files are generated locally in your browser using the jsPDF library. The PDF file is created on your device and downloaded directly to your computer. No puzzle data is transmitted over the internet during this process.
Hosting
Elite Word Search is hosted on Netlify. Netlify may collect standard server access logs (IP addresses, request timestamps, and pages visited) as part of its hosting infrastructure. This is standard for all websites and is governed by Netlify's privacy policy. Elite Word Search does not access or use these logs.
Advertising
Elite Word Search uses Google AdSense to display advertisements on the site. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site and other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your browsing activity.
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of third-party vendor cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.
For more information about how Google uses your data, see How Google uses information from sites that use its services.
Note: Ads never appear on downloaded PDF printouts — only on the website itself.
Analytics
Elite Word Search uses Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors use the site (e.g., which pages are visited, how long users stay). Google Analytics collects anonymized usage data using cookies and sends it to Google's servers. No personally identifiable information is collected. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Cookies
Elite Word Search itself does not set cookies. However, Google Analytics and Google AdSense may set cookies on your device to measure site usage and serve advertisements. These cookies are governed by Google's privacy policy. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.
Third-Party Services
The site loads the following external resources:
- Google Analytics 4 — for anonymized site usage analytics. See the Analytics section above for details.
- Google AdSense — for displaying advertisements. See the Advertising section above for details.
- Google Fonts — for typography (Bricolage Grotesque and Figtree). Google may collect anonymized usage data as described in Google's privacy policy.
- cdnjs (Cloudflare) — for the jsPDF library used to generate PDF files.
Children's Privacy (COPPA)
Elite Word Search does not directly collect any personal information from anyone, including children under 13. Google AdSense on this site is configured to serve non-personalized ads and does not target children. The site remains safe for use by children of all ages. Educators can use Elite Word Search in K-12 classrooms, and downloaded PDF puzzles contain no ads or tracking.
Student Privacy (FERPA)
Because Elite Word Search collects no student data and requires no accounts, it does not create education records and is not subject to FERPA requirements. Teachers can freely use the tool with student names or vocabulary lists knowing that nothing is stored or transmitted.
AI Crawler Policy
Elite Word Search allows all AI crawlers to access the site. Content is human-created and freely available for AI training and research purposes. See ai.txt and llms.txt for details.
Changes to This Policy
If this privacy policy changes, the updated version will be posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date. Since Elite Word Search collects no data, significant changes are unlikely.
Contact
Questions about this privacy policy can be sent to support@elitewordsearch.com.