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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for your help solving this impossible riddle/joke

999 replies

killingtime9198 · 03/12/2018 10:57

My best friend's family have a family 'joke', which she originally told me about when we were about 12/13. When she originally told me she didn't get the joke either, but then later did manage to work it out. When she first met her now husband he didn't get it, but he later also worked it out. I have never managed to get it, and every now and again I will remember the saga of this joke (this has been going on for about 20 years now), try desperately for a few days to work it out and then forget all about it for months.

Anyway, I wonder if the powers of mumsnet can either locate someone who has heard this 'joke' before, or who can work it out!

The joke is:

'There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him Bos, and he walked up the post office steps.'

The joke is definitely NOT that there is no joke, and they're all having a laugh at me for trying to work it out - I am 100% confident of this.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
BloodyUseless · 03/12/2018 21:40

Yes show her the thread. Maybe it will shame her into telling you.

Magicmonster · 03/12/2018 21:49

Happiness - but surely that makes no sense at all as a joke/riddle??

BumsexAtTheBingo · 03/12/2018 21:53

Ive never heard a joke/riddle that doesn’t either make sense as it is or involve a question to be fair.

OJSquash · 03/12/2018 21:55

I am so annoyed that I've just read over 600 comments of people saying the same thing over and over and over again for the answer and I've got to the end to find that there is still no answer 😩

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 03/12/2018 21:56

Boscombe down remains the most logical solution thus far.

It's possible to interpret the friend's comments that it was "steps" and "post office" that could be changed rather than the concept of going up to something... The alternative of going "up" to the library still works with Boscombe down, certainly. It would depend on if it's a direct quotation from the friend that "approaching" the Post Office would be acceptable, or whether the OP paraphrased that...

Magnificunt · 03/12/2018 21:56

His name is Boswell. And for short (Andy Boswell). They called him bos (Boss) he’s walking up the steps to the post office because he works there!

tobee · 03/12/2018 21:59

But, people who say is the library or post office a pub or any other solutions - why? I can't see that getting us any further! Certainly nowhere remotely funny 🧐

DustyMaiden · 03/12/2018 22:00

Tears of rage

to ask for your help solving this impossible riddle/joke
Disquieted1 · 03/12/2018 22:00

Try singing it to the tune of Michael Finnegan.

tobee · 03/12/2018 22:01

Magnificunt but that's just weird and pointless. As a solution.

BumsexAtTheBingo · 03/12/2018 22:01

Boscombe Down would be such a niche punchline for a joke though. And the bit about his full name being Boswell would be pointless.

SoupDragon · 03/12/2018 22:03

"Did Bos come down" is surely the right answer.." It is the only one of the suggestions that makes perfect sense. Or any sense.

SlowNorris · 03/12/2018 22:04

Say it whilst hanging upside down and eating an apple

tobee · 03/12/2018 22:05

That's true Soup. But then what? It's not either 1) elucidating or 2) side splitting.

happinessischocolate · 03/12/2018 22:06

Happiness - but surely that makes no sense at all as a joke/riddle??

Yes it does, like the OP, you're waiting for further info or a punchline but all the info is already there.

Which is why it's better said in person because the emphasis will be on "For short they called him Bos, and he walked up the post office steps" as a short summary of his life/day/story

TulipsInbloom1 · 03/12/2018 22:08

Boswell then for short or "four short" would be Bos (ie his name is four letters short).

No idea about the rest.

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 03/12/2018 22:10

His name is Boswell not Bos, because Bos isn't a name. Boscombe Down isn't exactly an obscure reference either. I mean, it's not exactly funny either, but it does fit the general criteria of a joke.

ferntwist · 03/12/2018 22:15

Cant believe I’ve read this far and it’s still not solved!

RenaissanceWren · 03/12/2018 22:16

I just had a small epiphany in the shower. I’ve only read about 12 pages before I had to jump in so apologies if this has been suggested. I think he was “well out in front”.

KringleBells · 03/12/2018 22:18

.

FiveStoryFire · 03/12/2018 22:20

I agree with OP that's it's something physical that the person does while telling it because she said it's better in person.

BertieBotts · 03/12/2018 22:20

I love this. It will forever be known as the great Boswell mystery of Christmas 2018.

I sort of secretly hope it goes on until Christmas with the friend revealing slight clues bit by bit.

OP does she have any idea how many people are waiting for the answer?

BumsexAtTheBingo · 03/12/2018 22:23

Op definitely said that Bos just needs to be travelling somewhere not necessarily up.
Also it would have to be the teller of the joke who says ‘Does Boscombe Down? ’ in response to no question which doesn’t really fit the format of that kind of joke.

Warpdrive · 03/12/2018 22:30

There once was a man called Boswell for short. They called him ‘Bosandhewalkedupthepostofficesteps‘.

‘They’ are obviously his parents who were utter lunatics and they chose that name for him.

😂

BosForShort · 03/12/2018 22:30

I can’t wait until Thursday.