The term 'boils down' is an idiom that means to reduce something to its essential elements. This phrase can be used in many contexts, such as when summarizing a complex topic or when distilling a large amount of information into a few key points. The crossword solutions for this term are DISTILLS (8 letters), DECOCTS (7 letters), DECOS (5 letters), DIGESTS (7 letters), and CONDENSES (9 letters). All of these words have similar meanings, as they refer to processes of reducing something to its most basic form. Distilling and decocting involve boiling a liquid to separate the components, while digesting and condensing involve breaking down a substance into smaller parts.