The phrase 'drop the ball' is a metaphor for making a mistake or failing to do something. The crossword solutions for this phrase include ERR (3 letters), MISS (4 letters), SLIP (4 letters), FUMBLE (6 letters), BOBBLE (6 letters), GOOF (4 letters), BOTCHUP (7 letters), MISHANDLEAPASS (14 letters), NEGLECTONESJOB (14 letters), and STARTTHENEWYEAR (15 letters). These words all describe different ways of making a mistake or failing to do something, from small errors to major blunders.