Is this your crossword clue?
"cleverness" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often ingenuity (9 letters).
Definitions
the property of being ingenious
Word origin
From clever + -ness.
Used in a sentence
“1. Stuckism is the quest for authenticity. By removing the mask of cleverness and admitting where we are, the Stuckist allows him/herself uncensored expression.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Ingenuity”10 letters
Not quite right?
"Search similar patterns."
C_________