Patois Crossword

Big · Easy · No. 30:00

Patois Crossword: Big · Easy · No. 3

An easy big Patois crossword with 24 clues. Every answer is a real Jamaican Patois word from the dictionary, and each links to its entry when you finish. Easy: The most familiar words. Meanings come with a category, every word starts with its first letter filled in, and you can check and reveal.

Across

  1. 1 Superstition, Folklore & Spirituality: Spiritual and herbal healing in the Jamaican folk tradition (4)
  2. 5 Money, Work & Business: A traditional rotating savings scheme in which a group of people each pay a fixed sum (7)
  3. 6 Places & Directions: The wealthier, more affluent parts of Kingston (6)
  4. 8 Money, Work & Business: A public communal water tap on a post, set in a yard, lane, or street corner (9)
  5. 11 Grammar & Function Words: A multi-purpose question and linking word — 'where', 'what', or the relative 'that/which/who' (3)
  6. 12 Culture, Heritage & History: A large covered basket woven from bamboo or wicker, used to carry produce, food, or goods (6)
  7. 13 Greetings & Conversation: An exclamation of dismissal, mild annoyance, impatience, or disbelief (3)
  8. 14 Music, Reggae & Dancehall: Chatting or half-singing rhythmically over a riddim — the Jamaican vocal style, dating from the 1960s sound systems (8)
  9. 16 Rastafari & Iyaric: A Rastafari word of affirmation and greeting meaning 'heights' — spiritual heights, joy, and unity (4)
  10. 19 Money, Work & Business: A small amount of money (6)
  11. 20 Places & Directions: The old commercial heart of Kingston near the waterfront — busy markets, street vending, and hard working-class life (8)
  12. 21 Grammar & Function Words: Marks location and existence — roughly 'there', 'is at', or 'to be somewhere' (3)

Down

  1. 1 Clothing & Style: The red-and-white (sometimes yellow) plaid madras cloth (7)
  2. 2 Money, Work & Business: Fraud, hustling, or illegal and dishonest dealings (9)
  3. 3 Descriptions & Emotions: Fresh, clean, brand new, and looking sharp — something in flawless, impressive condition (5)
  4. 4 Superstition, Folklore & Spirituality: An Afro-Jamaican religious tradition of Central African (6)
  5. 7 Actions & Verbs: To steal — and, as a noun, a ____ (4)
  6. 9 Food & Drink: A sweet steamed pudding of grated sweet potato or cornmeal mixed with coconut (6)
  7. 10 Music, Reggae & Dancehall: Jamaica's original rural folk music (5)
  8. 12 Places & Directions: Wild, uncultivated land — thick vegetation, the deep countryside, or any overgrown, untended ground (4)
  9. 13 Food & Drink: A wild, sprawling bitter vine (7)
  10. 15 People & Relationships: One's grandmother — and, very often in Jamaican life, the family elder (6)
  11. 17 Places & Directions: One's home area, neighbourhood, or the local streets where a person is from and known — 'di ____' (4)
  12. 18 Greetings & Conversation: To meet up with someone, make contact, or connect socially (4)

Where the words come from

Every answer is an entry in the Patois dictionary. This puzzle draws on: Actions & Verbs, Clothing & Style, Culture, Heritage & History, Descriptions & Emotions, Food & Drink, Grammar & Function Words, Greetings & Conversation, Money, Work & Business, Music, Reggae & Dancehall, People & Relationships, Places & Directions, Rastafari & Iyaric, Superstition, Folklore & Spirituality. When you finish, each answer shows its meaning, its pronunciation and an example sentence.

The number in brackets after a clue is the length of the answer, and (3,5) means two words of three and five letters, typed with no space. Patois has no single spelling, so if you type another spelling the dictionary records, it counts.

More to play

Back to all Patois crosswords, try the daily word game Guess Di Word, or take a Patois quiz. You can print this puzzle from your browser's print menu.