Hip

MOD

Think of a 1960s British youth subculture known for sharp fashion and scooters.

"Hip" here isn’t about being cool—it’s short for "hip replacement," a common medical procedure. The answer "MOD" plays on the word "modification," since a hip replacement modifies the original joint. It’s a clever shorthand where "mod" stands in for the full word, a trick crosswords often use for brevity. Think of it like calling a "modification" its nickname.