ruse

“This is an elaborate, well thought-out ruse which totally jammed my radar,” Taylor wrote, noting the caller’s attention to detail, including “real cop-speak.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Journalists and some White House staff on board did not know the US president had been smuggled out as part of an elaborate ruse in response to a possible Iranian threat.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

U.S. officials allegedly devised the ruse after they became concerned about an Iranian threat to target Trump as he left Turkey, which borders Iran.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

Another ruse is called ghost booking, which entails an employee booking conference rooms or workstations online to suggest they are in the office.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

"Well," she said, sucking away at her stinking cigar, "their favourite ruse is to mix up a powder that will turn a child into some creature or other that all grown-ups hate."

From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl

Skipton’s devious ruses and desperate escapades prove diverting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

The specific issue with the windbreakers was that ICE agents were engaging in various ruses to get people to open the door.

From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2025

He’d devised elaborate ruses to gather evidence of militias’ ties to high-ranking law enforcement officials.

From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2025

In his final mission, Mr. Bluestein said, the ruses devised by the roughly 360 soldiers of his battalion forced German commanders to spread their defenses thin in eastern France.

From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2024

“The best ruses always have some seed of truth,” said the Tattered Prince.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin