Cookie Policy
Effective: June 2026 (updated for Ezoic)
This policy explains how Word Puzzle Hub uses cookies and similar browser storage technologies. We have kept our use of these technologies to the absolute minimum required to make the site work as you would expect.
What we store
We use a small number of browser storage entries, grouped below by purpose. We do not set any HTTP cookies for preferences - everything is stored in your browser’s localStorage only.
Preference
| Name | Storage type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| theme | localStorage | Remembers your chosen colour scheme so the page loads correctly without flickering | Until cleared |
| cookie-consent-v2 | localStorage | Records your cookie preference so the notice is not shown again | Until cleared |
Analytics
We use Microsoft Azure Application Insights to count page visits and measure puzzle usage. Anonymous telemetry (pages visited and browser type, without any persistent identifiers) is collected for all visitors. The cookies below - which add session and user identifiers for more accurate counting - are only set if you click “Accept”. No advertising profiles are built and data is never sold or shared beyond Microsoft acting as our data processor.
| Name | Storage type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ai_user | HTTP cookie | Anonymous random identifier used to distinguish unique visitors in aggregate counts. Contains no name, email, or other directly identifying information. | 1 year |
| ai_session | HTTP cookie | Groups page views and events within a single visit | 30 minutes |
When analytics data is sent, your IP address is transmitted to Azure solely to derive an approximate geographic location (country and city). Azure masks the IP immediately after geo-location lookup - the raw address is never stored in our analytics data.
Advertising (Ezoic)
We display advertisements through Ezoic, an ad management and optimisation platform. When you accept cookies, Ezoic and its advertising partners may set cookies to serve relevant ads based on your browsing activity. When you decline, no ad targeting cookies are set and only non-personalised ads will be served.
| Name | Storage type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| __ezodn / __ezoref | HTTP cookie | Used by Ezoic to serve and optimise advertisements, including frequency capping and referral tracking | Up to 13 months |
| ezCMPCookieConsent | HTTP cookie | Stores your ad personalisation consent preference | 1 year |
Ezoic manages advertising cookies independently. You can review Ezoic's Privacy Policy and adjust your ad preferences via Ezoic's Ad Choices page.
What we do not use
- Cross-site tracking or fingerprinting by us
- Login or account session cookies
Legal basis
Under the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and the UK GDPR, we rely on your consent for analytics cookies and personalised advertising. Anonymous page view analytics (no cookies, no persistent identifiers) are processed under legitimate interest for all visitors - this is the baseline and applies regardless of your cookie choice. Clicking "Accept" enables analytics cookies and personalised ads. Clicking "Decline" means no cookies are set and only the anonymous analytics continue.
You can withdraw consent at any time by clearing your browser cookies and localStorage for this site (see below). The cookie notice will reappear on your next visit.
Managing your preferences
You can manage or remove these items in several ways:
- In-site toggle - use the ⚙ settings icon in the header to change your theme at any time. The preference is saved automatically.
- Browser settings - most browsers allow you to view, block, or delete individual cookies and localStorage entries via their developer tools or privacy settings.
- Clear site data - clearing all site data for wordpuzzlehub.com in your browser will remove both entries and reset your consent. The cookie banner will reappear on your next visit.
Changes to this policy
If we ever add new cookies or storage technologies, we will update this policy and present the cookie banner again to collect fresh consent. The effective date at the top of this page will reflect the date of any material change.
Contact
If you have any questions about how we use cookies, please contact us.