My experience of working with people like Terence Tao, and being nowhere near their standard, is that they are looking for any kind of creativity. Everything is accepted, and it doesn't have to be "at their level".
Having read what he's saying there, and with my experience, I think your characterisation is inaccurate.
And having been at the talk he gave for the IMO earlier this year he is impressed with some of the interactions, it's just that he feels that any kind of "creative spark" is still missing.
Having read what he's saying there, and with my experience, I think your characterisation is inaccurate.
And having been at the talk he gave for the IMO earlier this year he is impressed with some of the interactions, it's just that he feels that any kind of "creative spark" is still missing.