The Man Who Makes the World’s Most Incredible Mazes

In every activity book and diner placemat we had as kids, we always flipped right to the mazes. They were easily our favorite parts, difficult enough that we were legitimately challenged but rewarding enough that we never felt cheated. It’s unlikely that Adrian Fisher designed those paper mazes, but when we became adults, we started looking for labyrinths (the more grown-up version of mazes), which is where we were introduced to Fisher’s work. From his workshop in Dorset, England, Fisher designs mazes for international clients, with more than 700 dotting his clients’ landscapes. For Fisher, the attraction to the format is the control he has over the maze’s path as well as the natural inclination humans have to explore and discover. He recognizes that there’s no practical value to mazes, but knowing that he’s an entertainer seems to help him design, as he can make the puzzle as challenging or as simple as he wants. It’s good to know the people designing mazes have as much fun making them as we have solving them.