5 MINUTE DETECTIVE5 MINUTE DETECTIVE

Privacy & cookies

Updated 29 October 2026

5 Minute Detective is operated by Daniel Jenkins. For privacy questions, email daniel@jenkinsinteractive.com.

Your saved investigation

You can play without an account. We save a game record on the server without your name. It includes the case, start time, deadline, objects checked, clues, interview answers and result. This lets you return to your game and keeps the timer accurate.

A cookie is a small piece of data in your browser. It links that browser to each saved case and lasts up to 30 days. We use it to run the game. It does not follow you around other websites. The server copy may stay after the cookie expires or you clear your browser. Contact us for help removing a saved game.

Storage on your device

Your browser stores your sound setting and any unfinished answer. These stay on that device until the game or browser removes them. When an attempt ends, its unfinished answer is removed. You can clear this site's cookies and data in your browser settings. Doing so may stop you opening saved cases.

Reading an introduction, guide or quick mystery does not start a game attempt. Opening a hint or answer in a reading puzzle does not save your choices or send an answer to the server.

Hosting and security

Cloudflare runs the public website and stores its saved games. To send pages to your browser and protect the site, it handles connection details. These include your IP address, browser details and the pages you request. Server logs may keep this information. This version has no separate service for tracking site visits.

Cloudflare’s privacy policy

Advertising

We are preparing Google AdSense to help pay for the game. Ads stay switched off until Google approves this site. The site's publisher tag and ads.txt file identify our AdSense account.

On case introductions, detective guides, short puzzles and this privacy page, we load Google's privacy code so you can choose how your data is used. This sends Google connection details, such as your IP address, browser details and the page you are reading. Google may read existing cookies on its own domains. We only load the ad script after approval and when your privacy choices allow it.

Once ads are enabled, Google and its partners may use cookies and device details to show and measure ads, limit how often an ad appears and prevent fraud. We will not use your browsing history to choose ads. Ads can still need cookies and consent. The game and its opening scenes stay free of ads.

Google asks people in the UK, Switzerland and the European Economic Area (EEA) for consent. You can accept, decline or manage your choices. Where consent is needed, we wait for it before requesting an ad. If these checks fail or you decline, we do not request an ad. You can still use the site and play every case.

In some US states, you can opt out of your data being sold or shared for advertising. Use Google's “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link on pages where it appears. Google uses its privacy message to save and pass on that choice.

Use Privacy and cookie settings below, or the link in the site footer, to change your choices. Google stores your choices so you do not have to repeat them on every page. We do not use Google Analytics.

How Google uses information from sites that use its services

Why we use this information

We use the information needed to run saved games and reply to you. We also use connection details to keep the site secure and fix faults. Optional ad storage depends on your consent where it is required. Turning it down does not stop you playing.

Cloudflare, Google and their providers may handle information outside the country where you live. Their privacy policies explain the safeguards they use when moving information between countries.

Contacting us

If you email us, we receive your address and what you send. We use these to answer you and deal with the issue you raise.

Your choices and rights

You can ask what information we hold about you, see it, or ask us to correct or delete it. Depending on where you live, you may also have the right to object to its use or ask us to limit it. Email daniel@jenkinsinteractive.com to make a request. You can also contact the body that handles data protection concerns where you live. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner’s Office.

We will update this notice if our hosting, data use or ads change. The date above shows when it was last changed.