The term 'MAKES CRYPTIC' can be solved by the crossword solution 'ENCODES'. Cryptography is the practice of encoding messages so that only the intended recipient can read them. Encoding is a process of transforming information from one form to another, usually for security purposes. In cryptography, encoding is used to protect data from unauthorized access. By encoding a message, it becomes difficult for anyone other than the intended recipient to understand the contents of the message.