Patois Crossword

Big · Medium · No. 20:00

Patois Crossword: Big · Medium · No. 2

A medium 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. Medium: A wider vocabulary. Clues are the meaning, and you can have wrong letters marked but never shown the answer.

Across

  1. 2 The famous brand of aged, golden Jamaican rum from the ____ in St Elizabeth's Nassau Valley (8)
  2. 5 A friendly term of address for a friend, pal, or associate (7)
  3. 6 A child — whether one's own or any young person (7)
  4. 9 A ridged metal grater (7)
  5. 10 A large covered basket woven from bamboo or wicker, used to carry produce, food, or goods (6)
  6. 11 Spiritual and herbal healing in the Jamaican folk tradition (4)
  7. 12 A starchy root crop — one of the island's oldest foods — ground and pressed to make bammy (7)
  8. 14 The everyday Patois 'thanks', warm and quick (5)
  9. 15 The man at a bus or taxi park whose job is to 'load' the vehicles (5)
  10. 17 A large root of the taro family, with dark-flecked, dense, greyish flesh (7)
  11. 18 The beloved sweet tropical fruit, of which Jamaica boasts dozens of named varieties (5)
  12. 19 A sweet or candy (7)
  13. 20 Right here; this exact spot — 'yah' (here) intensified by 'so' to mean 'right here' (4)

Down

  1. 1 A casual greeting run together from 'what happen' (7)
  2. 3 The flamboyant or '____' — a spreading ornamental tree (9)
  3. 4 A dancehall event or party where a sound system plays through the night (7)
  4. 6 An affectionate word for one's father (5)
  5. 7 Ground corn (maize) meal — a versatile staple used for creamy ____ porridge (8)
  6. 8 Covetous, greedy, and grasping (8)
  7. 11 A big, lively party or dance event (8)
  8. 12 Cannot — the negative of 'can', with the distinctive Patois 'cy' glide (4)
  9. 13 An affectionate insider name for Jamaica (7)
  10. 16 The Patois pronunciation of '____', with the 'w' softened to an 'oo' sound (5)
  11. 17 Right there; that very place (4)

Where the words come from

Every answer is an entry in the Patois dictionary. This puzzle draws on: Animals, Plants & Nature, Culture, Heritage & History, Descriptions & Emotions, Food & Drink, Grammar & Function Words, Greetings & Conversation, Music, Reggae & Dancehall, People & Relationships, Places & Directions, Superstition, Folklore & Spirituality, Transport & Travel. 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.