This is a question that Create and the h2g2 researchers putting together a variety show podcast [Led by minichessemouse , who would be delighted to hear any ideas for a podcast segment. Send any such thoughts to the podcast page. ] would like to explore.

In November we challenged h2g2 researchers to write a novel of 50,000 words. Now we are going to ask them to attempt something much harder. Short short stories.

There is already a venerable tradition of these 100-200 word shorts on h2g2, so in keeping with Create’s science fiction theme for January, we have decided to up the ante a little, to challenge both old hands and those new to this kind of writing.

So we want 42 word stories. That’s right, stories of only 42 words. Actually, we will allow a leeway of 5 words plus or minus. But special acclaim will go to those tales which are dead on the word limit.

Along with the 42-themed photographs , this will be a running feature of the podcasts and not limited to the first episode, scheduled to go out later this (new!) year. But only the best stories will be included, so