Annoy but good

Latest answer — October 07, 2026

12 Down

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The word rile, meaning to irritate or provoke.

Clue explained

Rile means to irritate or provoke; “but good” works as a colloquial intensifier, as in “rile someone but good,” meaning to annoy them thoroughly. That gives the clue a little extra force beyond a plain “annoy.”

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 07, 2026 appearance

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The answer to “Annoy but good” in the The Washington Post crossword is RILE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 12-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.

“Annoy but good” 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 “Annoy but good” appeared?

The Washington Post 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.

October 7, 2026 (most recent) → RILE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Annoy but good”?

The answer is RILE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Annoy but good”?

4 letters: RILE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 7, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 12-Down.

Can “Annoy but good” have a different answer?

Yes — The Washington Post 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 WaPo Crossword answers?

The full grid for October 7, 2026 is on the WaPo Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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

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