If you have no degree or a terrible degree but want to get into a Master's degree or a Ph.D. programme you may be able to get in by doing publishable work in that field even so. Outside of professional schools all Master's programmes will demand a thesis as a requirement of graduation, along with coursework or in the British/Commonwealth system. Gary King has a guide to Replication for the Social Sciences
A munchkin is someone who follows the letter of the rules of a game while breaking their spirit, someone who wins by exploiting possibilities that others don't see, reject as impossible or unsporting, or just don't believe can possibly work.
If you have done something that everyone around you thought would not work, something that people around you didn't do after they saw it work, please share your experiences. If you tried something and failed or have ideas you want to hear critique of, likewise please share those with us.