What security clearance grants

ACCESS

Think of the privilege you might need to enter a restricted area or classified files—it starts with permission.

The clue plays on the idea of what a security clearance actually provides—when someone gets clearance, they’re given permission to enter restricted areas or information. "Grants" here hints at the result of that clearance, which is the ability to go in or use something, summed up neatly by the word "access." It’s a straightforward definition with no hidden wordplay, just a direct link between the privilege of clearance and the outcome it delivers.