Jeffrey Martinovic author page

Jeffrey Martinovic is a mechanical engineering student at Western University, in London, Ontario. He's been solving crosswords since he was 10, helping his mother with the puzzle in the local paper.

He was fascinated by the seemingly impossible across-and-down interlocks. He's been constructing puzzles since high school. "The idea for this one came to me when I was lying in bed one night unable to fall asleep," Jeffrey says, "I figured I may as well do something useful and let my mind wander."

Jeffrey Martinovic is a mechanical engineering student at Western University in London, Ontario. Jeff Chen, of Seattle, is a writer and longtime Times crossword contributor.

They brainstormed puzzle ideas and entries over email, and nearly three months, 200 messages and 100 grid versions later, submitted the artful puzzle here. The theme is neatly explained at 111-Across.