Crossword Genius

Skinned foxes, and cattle (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

oxen

'cattle' is the definition.
('oxen' can be a synonym of 'cattle')

'skinned foxes and' is the wordplay.
'skinned' indicates the central letters.
'and' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation for 'and').
The middle of 'foxes' is 'oxe'.
'oxe'+'n'='OXEN'

(Other definitions for oxen that I've seen before include "workers in the field?" , "Steers" , "strong animals" , "Domestic bovines" , "Large bovine animals" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.