Crossword Genius

Light displays academician opening golden eggs (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

aurorae

'light displays' is the definition.
(plural of aurora)

'academician opening golden eggs' is the wordplay.
'academician' becomes 'RA' (member of the Royal Academy of Arts).
'opening' means one lot of letters goes inside another (some letters open a gap in others).
'golden' becomes 'au'.
'eggs' becomes 'roe' (fish eggs).
'au'+'roe'='auroe'
'ra' inserted into 'auroe' is 'AURORAE'.

(Other definitions for aurorae that I've seen before include "Flashes of light" , "Phenomena" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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