Something sold in a tax sale

LIEN

Think of a legal claim placed on property when its owner fails to pay debts—often used by governments to secure unpaid taxes.

A tax sale happens when a government sells property to recover unpaid taxes, and the buyer often gets a "lien"—a legal claim on that property until the debt is settled. The clue plays on the idea that what’s sold in these sales isn’t the property itself but the right to collect the debt, which is the lien. Think of it like buying a placeholder for the money owed, not the actual house or land. The answer is short and fits the definition neatly.