Putting this in perspective of my sensi whom does my JKD and Kali, what good are 27 different stick patterens and strikes if you can only apply 2 of them? If you can get your basic's down better then the other guy, then you stand a better chance against him, even if he knows more. Basic is usually simple, so it is more effecient. Why throw a jab cross hook when you train your jab to have the force of all three?

"Sure jujigarami koshinage comes to mind"
Very definitely, a very hard technique from which to escape and still have
one's neck in one piece.

"Everything is secret until you learn it. And you only get to be a high grade when you are good at the techniques - therefore - the biggest secret is to be good at the techniques."

I just found this forum, havent looked at it for awhile but I am enjoying your discourse.
I study with Mitsugi Saotome's dojo in Florida, from time to time, and they have excellent Aikido there.
When the higher ranking and more experienced guys engage in randori, I am totally unable to repeat the technique in succession. But I am able to recognize how many kihon are connected to make a more involved and complicated waza. After over 20 years I still feel like an Aiki-Baby.

Advanced/secret techniques are merely the basics done better...

I'm certainly no expert on the subject as I've only trained for about 3 years. However, my experience suggests that there aren't any secret techniques. There are however techniques that are less frequently taught or not taught in specific dojos. For example, I trained at a dojo near my parents house during this previous christmas. The head instructor was away so each student would pick a move to demonstrate and every one would practice that move. I chose tsuki rokyo. None of the students in that particular dojo seemed familiar with rokyo so it may have seen like an advanced or secret technique. I also know some schools often don't teach gokyo. I've also seen a couple of moves that I was unfamiliar with but I certainly don't think they are secret techniques.