Is it possible they saw everything and are already trying to formulate a response?

She stared at her hands for a moment trying to formulate the best answer.

I suggest we try to formulate a plan of escape.

The commission has now been trying to formulate and integrated approach to deal with this issue.

He tried to formulate a plan of what to do when morning came.

Saying nothing for a moment, I tried to formulate an answer.

She could see him trying to formulate some sort of plan.

He tried to formulate some plan; then decided that it would be best to trust to chance.

The board is "trying to formulate something that works for everybody."

Hours of sleep had been lost trying to formulate the answer to this inevitable question.