The term 'made a splash' can be interpreted in two ways. The first interpretation is that of diving into a body of water, which can be represented by the crossword solution 'dived' (5 letters). The second interpretation is that of standing out from the crowd, which can be represented by the crossword solution 'stoodout' (8 letters). Both interpretations of the phrase 'made a splash' imply that the subject has made an impact or impression on their environment.