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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
SleepingStandingUp · 04/12/2018 11:46

I think Derek is faking it.

AjasLipstick · 04/12/2018 11:46

derek hasn't bloody got it at all. If Derek DID have it, they'd share it with us. Triumphant....not goadily simper "I don't believe it! I've got it" and then bugger off.

DerekTheWonderdog · 04/12/2018 11:49

In the 'spirit' of the joke, I can't tell you. Unless it's your wedding day.

Baking101 · 04/12/2018 11:52

It's my wedding day and birthday. Tell me. Grin

MemoryOfSleep · 04/12/2018 11:54

Bullsh1t, Derek.

SleepingStandingUp · 04/12/2018 11:56

Course you do Derek. Me too nudge nudge wink wink

minisoksmakehardwork · 04/12/2018 11:57

Why not turn this into a riddles thread?

What's the difference between pink and purple?

gaggiagirl · 04/12/2018 11:58

Ooh yes a riddles thread! Good idea mini

Saminsachs · 04/12/2018 11:59

I think it's a visual thing...

It reminds me of something we did when we were kids:

'Alex, Alex, Alex, Alex, whoops Alex, whoops Alex, Alex, Alex, Alex' (counted on the fingers, on the whoops, you slid you finger down between your finger and thumb).

Was pretty straight forward, but no-one could get it right...the trick was that you folded your arms at the end every time ;)

Maybe something like this...

SlowNorris · 04/12/2018 12:00

Because we’ve got enough on our plate at the moment, soks.

Although I’ve given up on the ‘riddle’ and now I’m just focusing my energy on wishing bad luck on the OP and her friend. I hope they both get stuck in traffic for 5 hours.

tasharichford · 04/12/2018 12:01

Not going to lie but reading this has boiled my 33 weeks pregnant blood 🤬

Loyaultemelie · 04/12/2018 12:03

Right this is doing my head in. I am doing my dhs head in (he gives zero fucks about Bos and the steps by the way so I may have to ltb) and I have also done no work today. So it's time to call in the big guns, I'm asking my DM and she always gets the fair Day goose!

BertieBotts · 04/12/2018 12:06

What? Gisaclue, Derek.

SlowNorris · 04/12/2018 12:06

MN has a mixture of scientists, mathematicians, linguists, teachers, puzzle champs and everything in between.

If it hasn’t been solved in 32 pages I think it’s time to call bullshit and hand the OP this year’s prize for Best Troll.

BertieBotts · 04/12/2018 12:06

Is the wedding day a clue?? Spirit???

BloodyUseless · 04/12/2018 12:07

How about we just all admit it's a trick riddle and get the mods to close the thread?

Lucylugs · 04/12/2018 12:07

Do you think it might be a punctuation thing?
There once was a man called Boswell for short. They called him "Bosandhewalkedup thepostofficesteps."

DerekTheWonderdog · 04/12/2018 12:11

🙊🙊🙊🙊 👰 🤵 👰 👰 🤵 🤵

🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

gaggiagirl · 04/12/2018 12:12

I want to know the answer to minis riddle. Whats the difference between pink and purple?

DerekTheWonderdog · 04/12/2018 12:15

saminsachs we used to do that but we called it 'Bunny Whoop' - Bunny whoops, Bunny whoops, Bunny whoops etc etc etc

We also used to say this one: you have to say it out loud.

Wouldn't it, wouldn't it, wouldn't it be funny if the queen had a wooden tit, wouldn't it be funny.

It doesn't even make sense but it has me roaring with laughter every time I say it.

Omgineedanamechange · 04/12/2018 12:15

Clearly the answer is some kind of magical incantation that turns you into a smug insufferable cunt.

HeronLanyon · 04/12/2018 12:15

I just cheated and engaged google to help
Haven’t found an answer but amongst a very esoteric mix of links found that ‘the riddle’ is a song by nik kershaw mixed by Simon BOSWELL.
bizarrely annoyed that my brain is now giving room to this info but can’t work out the riddle/joke at all.
Sorry everyone for sharing.

dogzdinner · 04/12/2018 12:17

How is folding your arms a joke?

minisoksmakehardwork · 04/12/2018 12:20

@gaggiagirl - grip :)

Omgineedanamechange · 04/12/2018 12:20

I want to know the answer to minis riddle. Whats the difference between pink and purple?

The grip.