When we talk about "nuts and bolts," we often think of the basic elements of something. However, there are various synonyms that can be used to describe these elements in different contexts. For instance, "building blocks" is another term often used to refer to the fundamental components of a structure or system. "Guts" can also be used to describe the essential parts of something while "mechanism" can be used to describe the working parts of a machine. "Essentials" is another way to refer to the most important parts of something. These synonyms offer a way to add variety and precision to your writing, depending on the nature of the subject matter.