Youngster almost free to start and destroy (3,2)

'destroy' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with contact as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'youngster almost free to start' is the wordplay.
'youngster' becomes 'pup' (a pup is a young dog).
'almost' means to remove the last letter (most of the word but not all of it).
'free' becomes 'rid' (to be free of something is to be rid of it).
'to start' says to put letters next to each other.
'rid' with its final letter taken off is 'ri'.
'pup' put after 'ri' is 'RIP UP'.

'and' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?