SLO

SLO is often the answer to the crossword clue
[___-mo] or [Traffic caution]

slo crossword -mo thruway pitch caution poke answer clue
image via Premium Beat

SLO cropped up in two puzzles today, and in the two ways it’s seen most often: as [___-mo replay] and [___-mo]

Other common clues are:

___-pitch

Traffic sign warning

__-Blow (fuse)

___-Poke (caramel candy)

Taking time, in brand names

Not at all kwik

The Slo-Poke caramel candy has been around since the 1920s, when it debuted from Halloway’s, the same company that invented Milk Duds. Today, the Slo-Poke is produced by the Atkinson candy company, which gained it from purchasing the Warrell Corporation. How Warrell got it, I can’t tell, but I’m glad to learn via Wikipedia that “Warrell Creations is also capable of fire roasting and creating nut clusters.” Good to know.

Today, the Slo Poke has lost its hyphen, which may reflect that it can be found with or without the “Safety Stick.” I wonder if that means folks are also losing their teeth on it more than they used to. The packaging seems to also have lost the tag line “Lasts All Day” and “All Day Sucker,” slogans which suggested the idea behind calling it a Slo Poke.

Previously, I’d imagined the Slo Poke as something like a Cow Tale, but I’m glad I’ll go to sleep tonight knowing that today I learned that a Slo Poke is actually much more like a Sugar Daddy.

slo crossword -mo thruway pitch caution poke answer clue
image via Goetze Candy
slo crossword -mo thruway pitch caution poke answer clue
image via Miles Kimball

SLO seems so obvious, yet I confused it

slo crossword -mo thruway pitch caution poke answer clue
full disclosure: this is technically a slow-blow fuse, but I don’t believe the two Ws have much impact on the general look or use of the product (image via Learning About Eliectronics)

Actually, I learned another thing today, thanks to research for this post. Whenever I’ve seen clues referencing slo-blo fuses, I always thought of cartoon images of sparking strings burning down to detonate a stick of TNT [Explosive initials]. Turns out, it’s actually an electrical fuse designed to withstand a surge to protect against a short circuit. There’s not a lot out there (most are called “Slow-Blow” fuses), but I did find some evidence of their existence.

So whadya know, here I was thinking SLO was so obvious… Seems I was the one who was slo-ness was inside my brain all along.

Awwww.

Speaking of slo: while this does drag after a while, if like me you’re a sucker for simple pleasures, enjoy: