pyrrhic - (of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor.

pyrrhic

ˈpɪrɪk/

adjective

1. (of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor.

adroitly - in a clever or skilful way.

adroitly

əˈdrɔɪtli/

adverb

1. in a clever or skilful way.

   "he managed the evacuation adroitly"

contraption - a machine or device that appears strange or unnecessarily complicated, and often badly made or unsafe.

contraption

kənˈtrapʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. a machine or device that appears strange or unnecessarily complicated, and often badly made or unsafe.

   "repairing stereos and making contraptions out of spare electronic bits"

   synonyms:

   device, gadget, apparatus, machine, appliance, mechanism, implement, utensil, invention, contrivance; More

apocryphal - (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

apocryphal - 

əˈpɒkrɪf(ə)l/

adjective

1. (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

   "an apocryphal story about a former president"

   synonyms:

   fictitious, made-up, untrue, fabricated, false, spurious; More

   • of or belonging to the Apocrypha.

     "the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas"