Solve a Jamaican Riddle … 16 Jamaican Riddles and Answers
Solving riddles is a popular Jamaican past time.
Often contests on Jamaican radio stations focus on riddles. Solve the riddle and win a grand prize. These contests could go on for days until there is a winner.
How to Ask a Riddle Jamaican Style
To let someone know that you are about to ask a riddle, you say, Riddle me this. Riddle me that. Guess me this riddle or perhaps not.
(We’re serious. And don’t ask, just say it.) You then proceed with asking your riddle.
Solve a Jamaican Riddle: 16 Jamaican Riddles and Answers
Now that you know how Jamaicans ask riddles, here are 16 for you to solve.
We explain the answer for the first riddle so you get a better idea of how this works. Fifteen more riddles will follow. The answers to those riddles will be at the end of the article.
The explanation is simple. The liquid inside the coconut, or coconut water as it is called, is believed to have medicinal properties. Ask any Jamaican athlete and they will tell you it is very useful for mild dehydration. Ask any Jamaican grandmother and you will get a list of ailments cured by coconut water.
To obtain these wonder nuts, they have to be picked from the tall coconut trees on which they grow. They sometimes fall of their own accord but this usually happens when they are old and have very little liquid. To get a young or green coconut, someone has to climb the tree to pick it.
Since the trunk is so narrow and the tree is so tall, it is difficult to climb down the tree with the coconut in tow. For this reason, once picked, the coconut is usually dropped to the ground. So, that is why the doctor comes before the boy. Did you get it?!
OK, fine. Maybe it was a little corny. Which riddle isn’t? I’m letting you in on the culture here. Sometimes the jokes will give you a good belly laugh, which Jamaicans love, but sometimes they are corny 
15 More Jamaican Riddles and Their Answers
Riddles
- What goes up but never comes down?
- Why is a river rich?
- What has legs but can’t walk
- Sweet water standing up
- The longer it stays, the shorter it gets
- Whose bed is always wet?
- She tore her yellow dress but no one can fix it.
- Around the world the rugged rascal runs. How many Rs are in that?
- What has eyes and cannot see?
- What’s yours but other people use it more than you do?
- Dirt drops in a well. The well gets full. What is that?
- An airplane left Kingston for Montego Bay but crashed near Ocho Rios. Where did they bury the survivors?
- All doctors go to university except this one.
- What has a head and mouth but cannot wear a hat?
- Room full, all full, cannot get a spoonful
Answers to the Riddles
- Age
- It has two banks
- Table or chair
- Sugar cane
- Candle
- River
- Banana
- None
- Needle
- Your name
- Eye
- You don’t bury survivors
- Doctor bird
- River
- Smoke
How many did you get right?
When you go to Jamaica, ask one of these riddles of any Jamaican whom you befriend. I guarantee that the mere fact that you asked them a riddle will make them laugh and score a few points for you!
Til next time. Think and dream Jamaica!
Sherry, Darrell, and Darrian
Considering a visit to Jamaica with a group? Contact us today for more information about, Mais Oui Tennis & Spa Villa, our boutique 8-BR ocean view Jamaica villa rental experience in beautiful Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Perfect for multi-generational families and groups, retreats, and intimate destination weddings and vow renewals.
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