Solution for 30 April cryptic crossword clue

Pierced with a horn, former vice president died (5)

Solution – gored

Just for once the clue is correctly split by the comma.  If you are pierced with a horn by a bull, say, you will have been gored.  You could have thoughy of horns in the sense of musical instruments but in this case it was of the animal variety!

And of course Gore was the name of a former Vice President.  Add to that “d” being an abbreviation for “died” and you get “gored”.


This is an example of a charades cryptic crossword clue that also involves an abbreviation.  For a post dealing with charades clues, click here