Word before air or fire

OPEN

["Here’s a helpful hint for the clue \"Word before air or fire\":\n\n**\"It can describe a door's state or a flame's beginning.\"**\n\nThis hint gently guides the solver by referencing common contexts where \"OPEN\" is used—either as a descriptor for a door or as part of the phrase \"open fire\"—without directly repeating the original clue or giving away the answer."]

The clue "Word before air or fire" leads to the answer **"OPEN"** through a straightforward yet clever use of common phrases. - **"Word before air"**: The phrase "open air" is a well-known term referring to the outdoors or an uncovered space. - **"Word before fire"**: Similarly, "open fire" means to begin shooting or to start a flame in a fireplace. In both cases, **"OPEN"** is the word that directly precedes "air" or "fire" in these common expressions. The clue relies on the solver recognizing these familiar collocations. There is no complex wordplay or pun involved—just a simple and effective example of how a word can function as a prefix in multiple contexts.