smooth operator vs thimblerigger

smooth operator

noun
  • A skillful, manipulative person, con artist, or clever scoundrel. 

  • A person who accomplishes tasks with efficiency and grace, especially one with verbal skills who is persuasive in interpersonal relationships, negotiation, etc. 

thimblerigger

noun
  • One who cheats by thimblerigging, or tricks of legerdemain. 

How often have the words smooth operator and thimblerigger occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )