The term 'RUSH-HOUR SUBWAY RIDER, METAPHORICALLY' can be summarized as a metaphor for someone who is feeling overwhelmed and crowded. The crossword solution for this term is 'SARDINE', which is a metaphor for a person who is packed tightly into a small space, like a SARDINE in a can. This phrase is often used to describe a situation where someone is feeling overwhelmed and crowded by the amount of people or tasks they have to deal with.