Special ___

OPS

Think of the military term for covert or high-risk missions often carried out by elite units. It’s also short for a group that handles classified operations.

"Special ___" is a short clue where the blank hints at a three-letter word meaning unique military or police units. The answer "OPS" is shorthand for "operations," often used in contexts like "special ops" (short for special operations). The clue plays on the common abbreviation, assuming the solver recognizes the phrase from military or action-movie slang.