1. (n.) A series of events in a play, proceeding collaterally with the main story, and subservient to it.

2. (n.) A clandestine scheme; a trick.

Gongorism Italian hand Machiavellianism action acuteness ad hoc measure adeptness adroitness affectation affectedness ambidexterity answer art artful dodge artfulness artificiality astuteness bad faith bag of tricks blind bluff bosey cabal cageyness callidity canniness catch chicane chicanery chouse cleverness collusion complicity complot confederacy connivance connivery conspiracy contrivance contriving countermove counterplot coup course of action covin craft craftiness cunning cunningness curve curve-ball cute trick deceit deceitfulness deception deep-laid plot demarche design device dirty deal dirty trick dishonesty dissimulation dodge dodgery double-dealing doubleness doubleness of heart duplicity effort engineering euphemism euphuism expedient faithlessness fakement falseheartedness falseness fast deal feint fetch ficelle finagling fine Italian hand finesse foul play foxiness frame-up gambit game gamesmanship gimmick googly grift guile hocus-pocus hyperelegance improbity improvisation ingeniousness ingenuity insidiousness intrigue inventiveness joker juggle jugglery jury-rig jury-rigged expedient keenness knavery last expedient last resort last shift little game low cunning machination makeshift maneuver maneuvering manipulation manneredness mannerism means measure move one-upmanship originality overelaboration overelegance overniceness overrefinement pass pettifoggery pettifogging pis aller plot plotting ploy preciosity preciousness pretentiousness proficiency purism quickness racket rascality readiness red herring resort resource resourcefulness rigging ruse satanic cunning scheme schemery scheming scurvy trick shake-up sharp practice sharpness shift shiftiness shrewdness skill skulduggery sleight sleight of hand sleight-of-hand trick slipperiness slyness sneakiness solution sophistry stealth stealthiness step stopgap stratagem strategy stroke stroke of policy subterfuge subtilty subtleness subtlety supercherie suppleness tactic temporary expedient treachery trick trickery trickiness trump two-facedness underhand dealing underhandedness underplot unnaturalness wariness web of intrigue wile wiles wiliness wily device wire-pulling wit working hypothesis working proposition