In the 36 years that Adrian Fisher has been in business, he has created every kind of maze imaginable – from simple, head-high fields of maize to bewildering, hi-tech caverns with flashing lights and revolving mirrors. They’ve been based on everything from chess to Alice in Wonderland, from alien planets to the ancient pyramids of Egypt. In all, Fisher has built some 700 different mazes all over the world.

Maze-making requires a particularly peculiar kind of design. At its heart, after all, it means designing something confounding and discombobulating, rather than smooth and foolproof. How does Fisher do it? How did he get into this highly particular field? And why does he – and do we – find mazes so entrancing?

A puzzling purpose

Mazes date back to the ancient times, although the earliest form of maze – the labyrinth – had an important difference from most of those found today. Made famous by the tale of the Minotaur and the Minoan palace in Crete, a labyrinth has only one path leading to the centre. Its purpose wasn’t to confuse. It was to lead a walker along a meandering path that encouraged contemplation and serenity.