---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That'll take some finagling,' she told…"
description: "\"“That'll take some finagling,' she told Mulder. 'I'll keep watch, then,' he said. 'You go downtown and see what you can finagle.”\" — Ellen Steiber"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg"
---

#  That'll take some finagling,' she told Mulder. 'I'll keep…

![“That'll take some finagling,' she told Mulder. 'I'll keep watch, then,' he said. 'You go downtown and see what you can finagle.” quote by Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg)

> ““That'll take some finagling,' she told Mulder. 'I'll keep watch, then,' he said. 'You go downtown and see what you can finagle.””

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character suggests using clever, perhaps unethical, tactics (“finagling”) to achieve a goal, implying resourcefulness in investigative work.

**In simple terms:** Use clever tricks to get results.

Key Takeaway

Employ creative problem‑solving.

Themes

resourcefulness ethics investigation strategy

Mood

mysterious pragmatic

Type

fictional dialogue

When to use this quote

- detective work
- business negotiations
- personal problem solving

Key Concepts

crime solving moral ambiguity creative tactics

Questions to Reflect On

- When is clever manipulation justified?
- What are the costs of “finagling”?

A Different Perspective

Risk of crossing ethical lines.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [ “Scully,' \[Mulder\] said, his voice quiet and serious, 'with the... unorthodox explanations I often find when studying the evidence, I know you're always skeptical-but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/scully-mulder-said-his-voice-quiet-and-serious-with-the-unorthodox/)

[Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/)

> [He had no idea of how long his life would one day seem to have gone on; how daily present the absence of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-no-idea-of-how-long-his-life-would-one-day-seem-to-have-gone/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [You're dying right now. Right this minute.' He looked at his watch, said, 'Right this second,' then tapped it with his finger. 'See there?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-letts/you-re-dying-right-now-right-this-minute-he-looked-at-his-watch-said/)

[Billie Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-letts/)

> [“Watch this!” he said, and what happened next might have been extraordinarily funny were their lives not at stake. But they were, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-eames/watch-this-he-said-and-what-happened-next-might-have-been/)

[Nicholas Eames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-eames/)

> [“When the battery in my watch died, I still wore it. There was something about the watch that said: It doesn’t matter what time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-huntington/when-the-battery-in-my-watch-died-i-still-wore-it-there-was-something/)

Chris Huntington

> [“I need a minute to think,” she said. I automatically started the timer on my watch. Suddenly Rosie started laughing. I looked at her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-need-a-minute-to-think-she-said-i-automatically-started-the-timer/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [Please remove your watch,' he said. 'In my domain time isn't a factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/please-remove-your-watch-he-said-in-my-domain-time-isn-t-a-factor/)

[Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/)

> [When I was at Valencia my wife said that we would win the league. She was right and to mark the occasion she asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/when-i-was-at-valencia-my-wife-said-that-we-would-win-the-league-she/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [“Watch me go. Watch me. Because you said i couldn't. Because you thought I wouldn't. Go on, cry now. Cry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-elmore/watch-me-go-watch-me-because-you-said-i-couldn-t-because-you-thought/)

[Kellie Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-elmore/)

> [Spent hundred thousand on the watch, who said you cant buy the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-quperlier/spent-hundred-thousand-on-the-watch-who-said-you-cant-buy-the-time/)

[Simon Quperlier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-quperlier/)

> [I was Christmas shopping and ran into a guy on the street. I noticed his watch and said that it runs slow. He said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-was-christmas-shopping-and-ran-into-a-guy-on-the-street-i-noticed/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

## More by Ellen Steiber

> [“Mulder' she said gently. 'They don't want you involved. They don't want to hear your theories. That's why Section Chief Blevins has you hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/mulder-she-said-gently-they-don-t-want-you-involved-they-don-t-want/)

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

> [“I'm sure they just felt more comfortable talking to me.' 'Why would I make them so uncomfortable?' Mulder asked. Scully faced him, hesitating... 'It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/i-m-sure-they-just-felt-more-comfortable-talking-to-me-why-would-i/)

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

> [“It smells like... I think it's bile. Tooms must have taken it from his victims' livers.' 'Oh,' Mulder said. He sounded a little sick.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/it-smells-like-i-think-it-s-bile-tooms-must-have-taken-it-from-his/)

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

> [“Annalise loves to take things out of wherever they've been put away and leave them in little mounds all over the house. Her father,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/annalise-loves-to-take-things-out-of-wherever-they-ve-been-put-away/)

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

> [“Scully and I will be back to relieve you in eight hours if Tooms doesn't show,' Mulder promised. 'Right here.' 'You got it,' Kennedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/scully-and-i-will-be-back-to-relieve-you-in-eight-hours-if-tooms/)

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

> [“So, Mulder,' Colton spoke in a mocking tone. 'What do you think? Look like the work of Little Green Men?' 'Gray,' Mulder said seriously.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/so-mulder-colton-spoke-in-a-mocking-tone-what-do-you-think-look-like/)

[Ellen Steiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

[Explore all 7 Ellen Steiber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/)

## More Watch Said quotes

> [“I need a minute to think,” she said. I automatically started the timer on my watch. Suddenly Rosie started laughing. I looked at her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-simsion/i-need-a-minute-to-think-she-said-i-automatically-started-the-timer/)

[Graeme Simsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-simsion/)

> [Spent hundred thousand on the watch, who said you cant buy the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-quperlier/spent-hundred-thousand-on-the-watch-who-said-you-cant-buy-the-time/)

[Simon Quperlier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-quperlier/)

> [“Watch me go. Watch me. Because you said i couldn't. Because you thought I wouldn't. Go on, cry now. Cry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-elmore/watch-me-go-watch-me-because-you-said-i-couldn-t-because-you-thought/)

[Kellie Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-elmore/)

> [When I was at Valencia my wife said that we would win the league. She was right and to mark the occasion she asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-benitez/when-i-was-at-valencia-my-wife-said-that-we-would-win-the-league-she/)

[Rafael Benitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-benitez/)

> [Please remove your watch,' he said. 'In my domain time isn't a factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/please-remove-your-watch-he-said-in-my-domain-time-isn-t-a-factor/)

[Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/)

> [“When the battery in my watch died, I still wore it. There was something about the watch that said: It doesn’t matter what time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-huntington/when-the-battery-in-my-watch-died-i-still-wore-it-there-was-something/)

Chris Huntington

> [“Watch this!” he said, and what happened next might have been extraordinarily funny were their lives not at stake. But they were, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-eames/watch-this-he-said-and-what-happened-next-might-have-been/)

[Nicholas Eames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-eames/)

> [You're dying right now. Right this minute.' He looked at his watch, said, 'Right this second,' then tapped it with his finger. 'See there?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-letts/you-re-dying-right-now-right-this-minute-he-looked-at-his-watch-said/)

[Billie Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-letts/)

> [He had no idea of how long his life would one day seem to have gone on; how daily present the absence of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-no-idea-of-how-long-his-life-would-one-day-seem-to-have-gone/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [I was Christmas shopping and ran into a guy on the street. I noticed his watch and said that it runs slow. He said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-was-christmas-shopping-and-ran-into-a-guy-on-the-street-i-noticed/)

[David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/)

Browse all 11 Watch Said quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“That'll take some finagling,' she told Mulder. 'I'll keep watch, then,' he said. 'You go downtown and see what you can finagle.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ellen Steiber"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mulder-i-ll-keep-watch-then-he/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Watch Said"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mulder-i-ll-keep-watch-then-he/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/ellen-steiber-51659_watch-said_that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mul_3128372.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That'll take some finagling,' she told Mulder. 'I'll keep watch, then,' he said. 'You go downtown and see…” — Ellen Steiber",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ellen Steiber",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-steiber/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“That'll take some finagling,' she told...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mulder-i-ll-keep-watch-then-he/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-steiber/that-ll-take-some-finagling-she-told-mulder-i-ll-keep-watch-then-he/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
