Former leader of East Germany with English name (4)
I believe the answer is:
eden
'former leader' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.
'east germany with english name' is the wordplay.
'east' becomes 'e' (synonyms).
'germany' becomes 'd' (vehicle registration code for Deutschland).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'english' becomes 'e' (abbreviation).
'name' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation e.g. on forms).
'e'+'d'+'e'+'n'='EDEN'
'of' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eden that I've seen before include "The first garden" , "The original garden?" , "Former prime minister" , "at Number Ten once?" , "Cornish garden; paradise" .)