Crossword Genius

Brilliant travellers encountered in small firms (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

comets

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'brilliant travellers' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I don't see how one could define the other.

'encountered in small firms' is the wordplay.
'encountered' becomes 'met' ('meet' can be a synonym of 'encounter').
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'small firms' becomes 'cos' (co is short for company - a business or firm; 'small' indicates an abbreviation).
'met' inserted into 'cos' is 'COMETS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for comets that I've seen before include "Space travellers" , "Heavenly bodies with tails" , "Small extraterrestrial bodies" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun and The Guardian.
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