From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlay plans/a trap etclay plans/a trap etcPLANto carefully prepare all the details of something We are laying plans now in order to be successful in the future.the best-laid plans (=plans that have been made carefully) Bad weather can upset even the best-laid travel plans. → lay
Examples from the Corpus
lay plans/a trap etc• And the speaker may be totally unaware of laying a trap.• Clare wouldn't put it past Sam to use a rat to lay a trap for her. 