The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SPRINKLER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Salt distributor/fire extinguisher" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case salt distributor/fire extinguisher = sprinkler.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SPRINKLER mean?
SPRINKLER noun- Anything that sprinkles.
- An irrigation device that sprays water into the air whilst moving back and forth.
- A heat-activated device that sprays water in the event of a fire, usually mounted on a ceiling.
- (preceded by definite article) A dance move in which the dancer places one hand on the head behind the ear, with elbow bent, stretches the other arm forwards and mimics the motions of an irrigation sprinkler with a rotary head.