The term 'payment up front' is often used to describe a situation in which a customer pays for goods or services BEFORE they are received. The crossword solution for this term is 'ante', which is a Latin word meaning 'BEFORE'. This term is commonly used in the context of gambling, where players must put money into the pot BEFORE the game begins. It can also be used more generally to refer to any payment made BEFORE goods or services are received.