Code that is hard to understand at first is fine; but once you do, it should make you think "wow, that's it?" and not "I can think of a simpler way to do this."

Code that is hard to understand at first is fine; but once you do, it should make you think "wow, that's it?" and not "I can think of a simpler way to do this." The counterpoint to dumbing down has been called "Kernighan's lever": https://www.linusakesson.net/programming/kernighans-lever/index.php https://www.linusakesson.net/programming/kernighans-lever/in... but I noticed that the interns were having trouble with it That's their problem. The less they're incentivised to learn and grow, the less they will; and once they no longer consider themselves beginners, they will know less than those who came before. The vicious cycle continues. It's worth noting that software development is an aberration; literally no other profession I know of has come to widely espouse the belief that beginners should be encouraged to remain stupid and unlearning while everyone else stoops to their level.