Privacy Policy
Effective Date: July 8, 2026 (originally published February 28, 2026)
Sparrowstep LLC ("Sparrowstep," "we," "us," or "our") operates the Bossword mobile application and the website at bossword.app (collectively, the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.
By using Bossword, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.
1. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- Account information: When you sign up for Bossword Elite, we collect your email address for authentication purposes.
- Profile information: You may provide your name, city, state, zip code, and a profile photo.
- Crossword solve times: You enter your daily crossword puzzle solve times, including the date, time, and publisher.
- League data: If you create or join leagues, we store league membership, competition results, and standings.
- Chat messages: Messages you send in league Crosstalk chat rooms.
Information Collected Automatically
- Push notification token: If you enable push notifications, we store your device's push token to deliver notifications.
- Notification preferences: Your notification settings are stored to personalize which notifications you receive.
- Subscription status: If you subscribe to Bossword Elite, we receive subscription events (purchase, renewal, billing issue, expiration) from Apple via our subscription management provider, RevenueCat, so we know whether your subscription is active. We do not receive your payment card details — Apple handles all payment processing.
Information We Do NOT Collect
- We do not track your device location.
- We do not use third-party analytics or advertising services (no Google Analytics, no ad trackers, no pixels).
- We do not sell or share your personal information with data brokers or advertisers.
- We do not access your contacts, photos, or other device data beyond what you explicitly provide.
Local-Only Data (Free Tier)
If you use Bossword without creating an account, all your data (solve times, statistics) is stored locally on your device and is never transmitted to our servers.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Create and manage your account
- Authenticate your identity via one-time passcode (OTP) sent by email
- Sync your crossword solve times across devices
- Facilitate league competition and display standings
- Deliver push notifications you've opted into (league activity, puzzle reminders)
- Display your profile to other league members
- Maintain, improve, and secure the Service
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:
| Service Provider | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Database, authentication, file storage, and real-time messaging | Account data, profile data, solve times, league data, chat messages, avatar photos |
| Expo (expo.dev) | Push notification delivery | Push token and notification content |
| Amazon Web Services (SES) | Email delivery (sign-in passcodes and account emails) | Email address and email content |
| RevenueCat | Subscription management and purchase validation | Account identifier (user ID), purchase history, subscription status, device type |
| Apple / Google | App distribution, payment processing, and in-app purchases | Standard app store data as governed by their respective privacy policies |
These providers process data on our behalf and are contractually bound to use it only for the purposes we specify.
We may also disclose your information if required by law, legal process, or government request, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Sparrowstep, our users, or the public.
4. What Other Users Can See
- Visible to league members: Your name, profile photo, and crossword solve times (within shared leagues).
- Always private: Your email address, city, state, and zip code are never displayed to other users.
- League chat: Messages you send in Crosstalk are visible to all members of that league.
5. Data Retention and Account Deletion
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. If you reset your account through the app, your local data is erased and you are signed out; your data remains on our servers so you can sign back in later.
You can permanently delete your account at any time in the app (Settings → System → Delete Account). This deletes your profile, email address, personal solve times, profile photo, and account from our servers. Two things persist after deletion, by design of league competition:
- League history: Solve times and chat messages you contributed to leagues remain part of those leagues' records, visible to their members, so other players' standings and history stay intact.
- Cached copies on other devices: League members' devices may retain a locally cached copy of your name and profile photo from when you played together. These caches are on their devices, not our servers, and fade as devices are reset or replaced.
6. Data Security
We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), row-level security on our database, and secure authentication via one-time passcodes. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
7. Children's Privacy
Bossword is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
8. Your Rights Under California Law (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
- Right to know: You can request what personal information we have collected, the sources, the purposes, and with whom it has been shared.
- Right to delete: You can delete your personal information yourself at any time using the in-app Delete Account feature (see Section 5), or by contacting us. Deletion is subject to the league-history exceptions described in Section 5.
- Right to opt out of sale: We do not sell your personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of.
- Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@bossword.app. We will respond within 45 days as required by law.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the Service or by other means. Your continued use of Bossword after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at:
Sparrowstep LLC
Email: privacy@bossword.app