The term 'was worthy of' can be broken down into four crossword solutions: BORE, rated, MERITED, and earned. BORE means to cause weariness or boredom, while rated means to have been given a value or rating. MERITED means to have deserved or earned something, and earned means to have gained something through effort or work. Together, these four words suggest that someone was worthy of something because they had worked hard and deserved it.