___ code

AREA

Think of the three-digit number you dial before a local phone number to specify a region.

This clue is a straightforward fill-in-the-blank where "___ code" hints at a common phrase. "Area code" is the familiar term for the three-digit number prefix in phone numbers, especially in North America. The answer "AREA" fits neatly because it completes the phrase everyone recognizes from dialing or contact info. No wordplay here—just a direct reference to telecommunication terminology.