The term 'was contingent' can be broken down into two crossword solutions: 'HINGED' (6 letters) and 'DEPENDED' (8 letters). The term 'was contingent' means that something was dependent on something else, or that it was conditional. The word 'HINGED' implies that the thing in question was connected to something else, while the word 'DEPENDED' implies that the thing in question was reliant on something else. Therefore, the two words together suggest that the thing in question was connected to and reliant on something else in order for it to happen.