to ask for your help solving this impossible riddle/joke

[killingtime9198]

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.

So walking isn't a constant, just approaching? Would it work if Bos cycled or something?

From your friend's response, it must be something to do with the sentence "for short, they called him/her Bos"?

This would be a good one for the DM to pick up. .

She said 'I think it's better in person

Then it's a play on words, and something to do with how a word is said. I assume possibly with their accent.

Is it actually just the "for short" being four letters short and calling the person bos and everything else is irrelevant?

Oh FGS.

Fine. Bos walked up some steps. Or went to a library. Or something. I hope he had a nice life

Ask he if it matters that the name is Boswell? Would it work with Maxwell?

So it must be 'four short' and if it is its a really shit joke.

Is the last sentence even necessary then? If it could be reduced down to “and he approached a place” does the riddle work without it completely?

Bl**dy Bos.

She won't tell me if I ask - no point.

British accent, by the way.

Yeh is there really anything else essential or is it just to get the nickname down to 4 less letters? I bet thats it and thats actually so shit id probably end my 20 year friendship over it.

And cant you just ask the other friends who got part of it and was told the full thing by your friend?

Hmmm. Playing with,
There once was a woman called Bos, well, for short they called her Bos. And she walked up to the library.

And also once and fo(u)r…

The fact that there's NO hits on google for this (beside this thread!) makes me think they're talking bollocks

Yes, exactly.

And why wouldn't someone explain a joke/riddle to a friend if they asked? Especially after 20 years.

Refuse to speak to her ever again if she doesn’t give you the answer!!

It would be really funny if the op was a troll and everyone's going mental over this riddle that's not even true. I'd say that would be a 10/10 😂👍

Your friend is a twat. I actually hate her.

I kinda hope it is a troll. Dont want the op to know such a shit family with a crap sense of humour!

Boswell = Bodes well?

So even if someone cracks it, your friend won’t tell you if it’s right or not? So we’re all forever stuck in this riddle limbo.

If this is a troll-la-roll, it's a sterling effort.

It sounds like a really bad crossword clue.
There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him bos. He walked up ...

Four short of Boswell is bos ...'walked up' is 'sob'. Cos this 'joke' is even worse than a groan.

@Forgetmelots No, she's telling me that my guesses are wrong.

Yep, I think OP troll is the correct shout here.

Nothing on Google.
Apparently no way to find out the answer from the person that knows.
OP makes it more confusing as it goes on, removing the Post Office angle once people find something that could be an answer.

Troll.

Bloody hell this is infuriating