What are really brilliant physics students capable of?

[TechieDork]

I'm curious about what really top physics guys capable of pulling out such these following feats:

-Can they just glance at unseen problems and come with the "aha" idea and solve it with ease?
(I mean the really absolute unseen problems : background knowledge will not help one with this , only given data in a limited time)

-When they approach problems what set them apart from "plug 'n chug" peasants?

Somethings like deriving a whole equation from simple relations,using non-linear/ unconventional and original ways to attack a problem and solve it simply.

Does anyone know such these people in persons?

 

[TechieDork]

There's an interesting answer I've found on Quora. A woman said she was solving a Computational Fluid Dynamics problem for her engineering assignment but she can't .

Fortunately, a guy from CS (off-topic,sorry) walked in,collected her notes and then studied it in just hours and solve it successfully.

The best part is:
-He never study/seen that course before (It's a very specific course) took that woman years to get to study it.

 

[symbolipoint]

Just trying to understand how post #1 was meant --

The topic title mistakes the meaning or importance of a student of Physics being or not being "brilliant".
"Plug-and-Chug", no. A serious Physics student is not looking for anything for plug-and-chug. Brilliant or not, most students either learn to or are taught to derive a desired solution. Some careful reading of the problem description is needed, first.

Some students' earliest opportunities to solve problems and derive formula results come in their study of Physics.