shrewdly

A person who acts shrewdly is someone who makes clever and often sneaky decisions to get what they want.

You might hear someone say that a businessperson acted shrewdly when they managed to make a profit from a bad investment, or that a politician acted shrewdly by making a promise they knew they couldn't keep. In these cases, the person is using their wits and cleverness to get ahead, often in a way that might not be entirely honest or straightforward. When used in this way, "shrewd" can sometimes have a slightly negative connotation, implying that someone is being manipulative or taking advantage of others.