noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
last-minute; eleventh-hour
Describes doing something at the very last moment, often with a sense of unpreparedness or desperation. Derived from the proverb 泥棒を捕らえて縄を綯う (making rope after catching the thief).
See also: 泥棒を捕らえて縄を綯う
試験前日の泥縄式の勉強では、いい点は取れない。
Last-minute cramming the day before the exam won't get you a good score.
彼の準備はいつも泥縄式だ。
His preparations are always last-minute.
Refers specifically to last-minute cramming for an exam, while 泥縄式 can apply to any last-minute action.
From the proverb 泥棒を捕らえて縄を綯う (making rope after catching the thief), with 式 (style) added to form a noun meaning 'last-minute style'.