How puppeteer gets things done? (5,3,7)

I believe the answer is:

pulls the strings

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'how' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I can't tell whether this works.

'puppeteer gets things done?' is the wordplay.
'puppeteer' becomes 'pull strings' (I've seen this in another clue).
'gets' means one lot of letters goes inside another (gets can mean captures or absorbs).
'things done?' becomes 'hest' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'pullstrings' going around 'hest' is 'PULLS THE STRINGS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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