Cryptic crossword clue
Looking offended, finding bit of toenail in small fish 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word BRISTLING

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
B
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Looking offended" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case looking offended = bristling.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does BRISTLING mean?

BRISTLING verb
  1. To rise or stand erect, like bristles.
  2. Abound, to have an abundance of something
  3. (with at) To be on one's guard or raise one's defenses; to react with fear, suspicion, or distance.
  4. To fix a bristle to.
BRISTLING noun
  1. The act of one who bristles.
BRISTLING adjective
  1. Having bristles.
  2. Showing anger.

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