Isn't overly clever code a result of programmers doing simple things the hard mode?

Okay it's a spicy take, because juniors also tend to write too smart code.

Figuring out what to do and how to do it, is maybe not hard but it's effort. It's a hidden thing because it's not flat coding time, it requires planning, research, exploration and cooperation.

It's also true that some seemingly simple things are very hard. There are probably countless workarounds out there and the programmer wasn't even aware he is dodging an NP hard bullet.

Both arguments are valid.

I think the weight leans on effort, because effort is harder to avoid. Work, complexity, cruft piles up, no matter what you do. But you can work around hard problems. Not always but often enough. Not every business is NASA and has to do everything right, a 90% solution still generates 90% returns, and no one dies.