cudget+one's+brains
1contrive — I. v. a. Devise, plan, design, invent, project, hatch, brew, form, frame, concoct, fall upon, hit upon, strike out, chalk out. II. v. n. 1. Scheme, plot, plan, consider, set one s wits to work, rack one s brains, cudget one s brains, strain one s …
