The term 'installments' can be defined as payments made in regular intervals over a period of time. It is often used to refer to the payment of a loan or debt, where the borrower pays back the loan in multiple parts instead of one lump sum. The crossword solution for this term is 'episodes', which can be used to describe a series of events or stories that are related to each other. In this context, it could be used to refer to the individual payments made in an installment plan.