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In the following, "the sons raise meat" sounds the same as "the sun's rays meet." But is this a good pun? The "because" makes sense only with the hidden meaning "the sun's rays meet." (I don't see how "focus"has anything to do with the literal "raise meat.") I'm wondering whether proper connection between the major, literal meaning and "because" can be sacrificed simply for the sake of a pun.

The rancher who was ready to retire gave the operation of his ranch over to his two boys. He renamed it "Focus," because it was where the sons raise meat.

Apollyon
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  • If you have to explain a joke, it is not a good joke. – Jasper Jun 30 '19 at 04:34
  • A pun like this deserves to be the last sentence of a multi-paragraph story. The story can mention the sun, rays, Ford sedans, and/or meetings, so that the audience is primed for the double meaning. – Jasper Jun 30 '19 at 04:36
  • There does not seem to be any causal relation between "He renamed it "Focus" and "it was where the sons raise meat." The relation only holds with the hidden "the sun's rays meet." In that case, is it natural to use the conjunction "because"? – Apollyon Jun 30 '19 at 04:45
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    Spider Robinson wrote many stories where the whole story was the setup for a pun. His stories set in Callahan's Cross-time Saloon were typical examples. – Jasper Jun 30 '19 at 04:51
  • http://www.moschak.com/TriplePuns.htm apparently it continues further on, in which case it can be called a triple pun – Mari-Lou A Jul 15 '19 at 13:13
  • Asking if a verbal or written joke is "good" is opinionable. – Mari-Lou A Jul 15 '19 at 13:14

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