Glad you got there!
I never considered the slot being single use. I kinda figured the menu giving new options and listing all its faults that needed fixing would be the giveaway.
Was already considering an expanded v2 with more location to visit.
Viewing post in Fixing Time: A Hack & Makerspace Adventure (TALP) jam comments
Yeah, I think I may've had a bit of a brain fade since I'd already used the slot to get the machine started and then open up Syria. I wound up playing during several different sessions and I thought "Okay, the game is being nice and having you use everything once." Or maybe I was thinking more on the lines of "put USB port A in slot B." I guess I never considered the slot could be like a mail slot.
So after I took a break, came back and got the Damascus Steel, I went through the process of elimination of what still needed use, and I crossed the slot off. Leaving me with ... nothing! Oops.