Definitions of contrivance:

• noun:   the faculty of contriving; inventive skill

  Example: "His skillful contrivance of answers to every problem"

• noun:   an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.

  Example: "The plot contained too many improbable contrivances to be believable"

• noun:   an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade

  Example: "His testimony was just a contrivance to throw us off the track"

• noun:   the act of devising something
• noun:   any improvised arrangement for temporary use
• noun:   a device that is very useful for a particular job