Artful dodge (4)
I believe the answer is:
ruse
'artful dodge' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for ruse that I've seen before include "Ploy, artifice" , "Cunning plan" , "Sue to be a ploy" , "Plan intended to deceive" , "Sure its a strange deception" .)