Sam Hughes (born 1983),[1] known online as and publishing under the pen name qntm (pronounced "quantum"),[2] is a British programmer and science fiction author.[3] Hughes' short stories include "Lena", about the first digital snapshot of a human brain. His serial novels include Ra and Fine Structure.[1][4][5] He has also written for the SCP Foundation wiki. His book There Is No Antimemetics Division began as an entry on the wiki.[6][7] In 2024, Del Rey Books acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to the book, while Ballantine Books acquired the US rights.[8][9]
Sam Hughes | |
|---|---|
 At MCM Comic Con London, 24 October 2025 | |
| Born | 1983 (age 42–43) |
| Pen name | qntm |
| Occupation |
|
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Notable works | |
| Website | |
| qntm | |
In 2022, Hughes created Absurdle, a variant of Wordle wherein the word changes with every guess, while still remaining true to previous hints.[3][10][11] The Guardian described it as "the Machiavellian version of Wordle", and Hughes described it as an "experiment to find the most difficult [...] variant of Wordle", comparing it to one of his previous projects, the Tetris variant Hatetris.[12]
There Is No Antimemetics Division was nominated for the 2026 Arthur C. Clarke Award.[13]
Selected works
editSerial novels
edit| Title | Began | Completed | Published as a single work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ed | 2003 | 2005 | 2013 |
| Fine Structure | 2006 | 2010 | 2018 |
| Ra | 2011 | 2018 | 2018 |
| There Is No Antimemetics Division | 2008 | 2020 |
|
Anthologies
edit| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuable Humans in Transit and Other Stories | 2022 | Author | |
| The Big Book of Cyberpunk | 2023 | Contributor | Contributed the short story "Lena" |
Video games
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "Summary Bibliography: Sam Hughes". Internet Speculative Fiction Database.
- ↑ qntm. "About me". Things of Interest.
- 1 2 McCammon, Sarah (23 January 2022). "You've heard of Wordle — now get ready for Sweardle and Absurdle". NPR (Interview). Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ↑ Adee, Sally (9 February 2022). "Mickey7 review: If you want to live forever, read the small print". New Scientist. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
A well-meaning neuroscience grad student donates his digital consciousness to science, a decision he may find he "lives" to regret.
- ↑ Ritter, Dan (20 June 2018). "SF For Nothing, Stories For Free". Charlie's Diary. Charles Stross. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ↑ Adee, Sally (6 April 2022). "Sci-fi is starting to exploit the infectious horrors of memes". New Scientist. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ↑ O'Connor, Alice (2 February 2022). "Iconic Internet monster SCP-173 is losing its look". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
I liked the There Is No Antimemetics Division tales by "qntm", who also wrote SCP/Control crossover fanfic. And I've only just realized qntm is also behind Absurdle, a Wordle variant that changes the answer while you play.
- ↑ Woods, Heloise (3 July 2024). "Del Rey snaps up high concept sci-fi cosmic horror from Sam Hughes". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ↑ Potvin, James (22 September 2022). "What Is The SCP Foundation? 15 Best Pieces Every New Fan Should Read". Screen Rant. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ↑ Haysom, Sam (20 January 2022). "Hooked on Wordle? You're really going to hate Absurdle". Mashable. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ↑ Rocha, Paul (8 May 2022). "How and where to play Absurdle". Dot Esports. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ↑ Winkie, Luke (14 January 2022). "Absurdle: the machiavellian version of Wordle". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ↑ "Shortlist For 2026 Arthur C. Clarke Award Announced". 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
External links
edit
- Things of Interest, Hughes' official website
- qntm at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- qntm's author page at the SCP Foundation wiki