Crossword Creator's Journey: From Wyoming to The New York Times

Meet Adrian Johnson, a young puzzle maker from Laramie, Wyoming. Now living in Knox County, Tennessee, he's known as "Mr. A. J. " to his students. At just 21, he sold his first crossword to The New York Times. His ninth puzzle for the paper is unthemed, which he loves creating the most. Unthemed puzzles are like a game of Tetris, fitting long, vibrant answers together. This one is titled "Go With the Flow, " and it's his seventh unthemed puzzle. Solving this puzzle was a smooth ride. Starting from the first clue, the solver can follow a clockwise spiral, guided by the puzzle's layout. It's like navigating a maze with a helpful map. Let's dive into some clues. 1A is a pop-culture nod that might make some solvers feel left out. It's about a reality show set in the Bering Sea, not kvetching about the cold. The answer? DEADLIEST CATCH, a long-running series on Discovery Channel. 43A is a nostalgic one. It's about colorful peg toys from the 1960s that are still popular. LITE-BRITES are the answer, and they even made a cameo in "Stranger Things, " a show known for reviving classics.