Gleam in the eye for sharp learner? (6,5) Crossword Clue
Answer: BRIGHT PUPIL (11 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Gleam in the eye for sharp learner? (6,5)" with 11 letters is "BRIGHT PUPIL". Bright pupil is a play on words: it literally refers to the gleam in the eye (the pupil) and figuratively to a sharp or intelligent student. The clue cleverly combines the physical eye feature with the idea of a clever learner, making it a classic cryptic crossword pun.
Why “Bright Pupil” Fits
The clue asks for a phrase (6,5) tied to “gleam in the eye” and “sharp learner.” The answer, BRIGHT PUPIL, fits perfectly:
- Gleam in the eye: The word “pupil” refers both to the dark opening in the center of the eye (so a “bright pupil” is literally an eye with a gleam), and to a student or learner.
- Sharp learner: “Bright” idiomatically means intelligent or clever. A “bright pupil” is thus a student who learns well and stands out for intelligence.
This clever double definition makes “bright pupil” an elegant solution to the cryptic clue.
This phrase uses playful wordplay and dual meanings:
- Eye and student: “Pupil” has two meanings—the anatomical spot in the eye responsible for regulating light, and a child or student who learns from a teacher.
- “Bright” idioms: “Bright” is common for descriptions of clever people, especially young learners (“bright spark,” “bright young thing”).
- Gleam imagery: Writers and poets often refer to the brightness or gleam in someone’s pupil (eye) as a metaphor for alertness or intelligence.
"Bright pupil" bridges the clue’s requirements for wordplay and direct sense.
In quick crosswords—especially cryptic clues like “gleam in the eye for sharp learner? (6,5)”:
- Look for double meanings and puns. Here, "pupil" is both an eye’s gleam and a student.
- The answer length (6,5) points to a concise, two-word phrase—"bright pupil" fits perfectly.
- Clues using metaphors, body parts, and intellectual qualities often conceal elegant dual definitions.
Spotting the cryptic wordplay and the link between literal and figurative meanings points quickly to “bright pupil.”
