Crossword Genius

Erudite composer shown the way out (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

learned

'erudite' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'composer shown the way out' is the wordplay.
'composer' becomes 'arne' (Thomas Arne, composer of 'Rule Britannia').
'shown the way' becomes 'led' (I've seen this in another clue).
'out' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'arne' put inside 'led' is 'LEARNED'.

(Other definitions for learned that I've seen before include "Discovered - erudite" , "Well educated and knowledgeable" , "Discovered, ascertained" , "Studied" , "Came to know" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent and The Globe and Mail.
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.