The phrase 'the worst of times' is a reference to the opening line of Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities, which reads 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' The phrase is used to describe a period of great difficulty and hardship. The crossword solution for this phrase is 'LOWS, ' which is a synonym for the phrase and can be used to describe a period of great difficulty and hardship.