action ad hoc measure affair anagnorisis angle answer apparatus architectonics architecture argument art artful dodge article artifact artifice atmosphere background bag of tricks blind bluff bosey catastrophe catch characterization cheat chicanery chouse color complication concern conspiracy continuity contraption contrivance counterfeit countermove coup course of action craft curve curve-ball cute trick deceit deception demarche denouement design development device dingus dirty deal dirty trick dodge dofunny dohickey dojigger dojiggy domajig domajigger doodad dowhacky effort episode eppes etwas expedient fable fake fakement falling action fast deal feint fetch ficelle flumadiddle fun gadget gambit game gigamaree gimcrack gizmo googly grift hand tool hickey hocus-pocus hook hootenanny hootmalalie humbug implement imposture improvisation incident instrument intrigue invention jest jigger joker juggle jugglery jury-rig jury-rigged expedient knavery last expedient last resort last shift line little game local color makeshift maneuver material thing means measure mechanical device method mood motif move movement mythos object pass peripeteia pis aller plan plot ploy power tool precision tool quelque chose racket recognition red herring resort resource rising action ruse scheme scurvy trick secondary plot shake-up shift slant sleight sleight of hand sleight-of-hand trick snare solution something speed tool sport step stopgap story stratagem strategy stroke stroke of policy structure subject subplot subterfuge switch tactic temporary expedient thematic development theme thing thingum thingumabob thingumadad thingumadoodle thingumajig thingumajigger thingumaree thingummy tone tool topic trap trick trickery trump twist utensil whatchy widget wile wily device working hypothesis working proposition