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Wise words show real brains, primarily (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

proverb

'wise words' is the definition.
(a wise saying)

'show real brains primarily' is the wordplay.
'show' becomes 'prove' (proving is a kind of showing).
'primarily' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'real brains' is 'rb'.
'prove'+'rb'='PROVERB'

(Other definitions for proverb that I've seen before include "Maxim" , "Pithy saying expressing a general truth" , "Familiar saying" , "Old saw" , "'Adage, saw (7)'" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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