Ruffle the feathers of (4)

Latest answer — September 21, 2026

3 Down

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Clue explained

To rile someone is to annoy or irritate them—to ‘ruffle their feathers’ figuratively.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A bird with visibly ruffled feathers

Guardian Quick Crossword

This clue's Monday, September 21, 2026 appearance

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The answer to Ruffle the feathers of (4) in the The Guardian Quick crossword is RILE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 21, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 3-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

Ruffle the feathers of (4)” answer

RILE (4 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is RILE.

What does RILE mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of RILE is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(verb)

  • make (someone) annoyed or irritated
  • make (water) turbulent or muddy

When else has “Ruffle the feathers of (4)” appeared?

The Guardian Quick reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

September 21, 2026 (most recent) RILE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Ruffle the feathers of (4)”?

The answer is RILE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Ruffle the feathers of (4)”?

4 letters: RILE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Guardian Quick crossword on September 21, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 3-Down.

Can “Ruffle the feathers of (4)” have a different answer?

Yes — The Guardian Quick sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's Guardian Quick answers?

The full grid for September 21, 2026 is on the Guardian Quick answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Guardian Quick Crossword is published by The Guardian; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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