Cutting the mustard is an idiom that means to meet a certain standard or expectation. It originates from the phrase 'passing the mustard, ' which was used in the early 1900s to describe someone who was ABLE to do something with skill and ease. The crossword solution for this term is 'ABLE, ' which means having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something. Therefore, the phrase 'cutting the mustard' can be interpreted as being ABLE to do something with skill and ease.