Frequently asked questions
Everything a parent needs to know before their child plays Crux - what it is, how it works, and how we handle safety and privacy. Last updated 20 August 2026.
Safety & Privacy
Do you store my child's answers or conversations?
No. We don't store your child's personal details or their responses - no real name, no date of birth, no raw conversation or written answers. What we keep is a short, summarised reflection on how they reasoned, nothing more.
What information do you collect about my child?
A parent email, the child's chosen alias (not their real name), and their year band. That's it for identifying information.
How do you handle safety?
Every message is screened by a separate safety check, built specifically to catch signs of real distress, before the AI ever responds. If anything concerning is detected, the game pauses and shows the Kids Helpline number (1800 55 1800) immediately.
Where is Crux based, and where is data stored?
Sydney, Australia - the product, the infrastructure, and the person who runs it.
General
What is Crux Thinking?
Crux is a critical-thinking game. Players are given a real dilemma with no clean right answer and have to reason through it and explain their thinking - never scored, never graded.
What ages is it for?
Three bands: Year 3-5, Year 5-9, and adults. Younger players (Year 3-5) work through a simpler decision-and-explain format with no AI. Year 5-9 and adults get the full scenario mode with an AI Challenger.
Do Year 3-5 players talk to an AI?
No. The Year 3-5 module has no AI Challenger - the player makes a decision and explains their reasoning and the trade-offs, without an AI pushing back. The AI Challenger appears from Year 5-9 upward.
Is it a school program or a home thing?
Right now, it's built for families - the dinner-table conversation, not the classroom. An educator/school track is planned but not yet available.
Do I need to download an app?
No. Crux runs in a web browser, on a computer or a phone. Nothing to install.
Is it free?
Yes, free for everyone in the current closed beta.
Access
Is Crux publicly available yet?
Not yet - Crux is in closed beta. Access is invite-only, extended one family at a time.
How do I get access?
Beta access is by invite only right now, offered through our social media posts.
Still have questions?
Email king@cruxthinking.org directly - that's King, the person who built this, not a support queue.