Wheaton puzzle whiz wows NY Times; LA Times

Puzzle me this: How many teenagers can report that they've been published in both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times since September?

Mike Doran can. The Wheaton freshman from Topsham, Maine, has been creating crossword puzzles for years. His work has been a staple in the Wheaton Wire this year, and now his work now can be seen across the country.

''All puzzles have some basic similarities, which I learned by attempting to make them, and since I had some ideas for themes I thought would make enjoyable puzzles, I decided to give it a whirl on a small grid,'' Doran explains. ''It was tough, but do-able. The grids got better and the themes more developed. There's still a lot more that I can do with them.''

Doran begins the creation of every crossword by developing a theme, ''the most essential thing to any puzzle. When a theme hits yoube it in your sleep or after seeing a certain word on a road signyou have to pounce on that.'' Next he turns to the grid and places his theme words, followed by the placement of the longest non-thematic entries. Eventually, the grid is filled.

''A good puzzle, one that I would try to send off for publishing, can take up to fifteen hours to make and clue,'' Doran adds.

An interview with Doran aired on Maine Public Radio's ''Maine Things Considered'' on Dec. 30, 2003. To listen, go to http://www.mainepublicradio.org/, and search on ''Doran.''
You'll need Window's Media Player installed on your computer to listen.