Friday's New York Times crossword puzzle solved: June 22, 2018

My time: 13:03.

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Andrew Kingsley is the mastermind behind this themeless Friday.  It's got a lot of fun, modern fill, including HOMOEROTIC, IDEALISTIC, VIDEO GAMES ("subject of some parental restrictions"), ALL NATURAL ("lacking hormones, say"), RODE ("heckled"), POST-RACIAL, GOOGLE MAPS, STARGAZING, and TELEPROMPTER.

I never really thought about the wood used to make electric guitars.  It turns out there are several preferred options.  Fender predominately used ash and ALDER.  Personally I like the look of mahogany.

I don't really get "medal, e.g." for PLACE.  Does it mean like a medal might be third place, blue ribbon second, etc?

The name of KAT Dennings, actress on "2 Broke Girls," came to me somehow.  Her character's name was Max Black!

The name of King Lear's loyal retainer is the Earl of KENT.  After being banished from the kingdom for suggesting that Cordelia shouldn't be disowned, he returns in the guise of Caius in order to continue to serve him.  What a Smithers!

I dislike the abbreviation ATT for attorney ("many a role on TV's 'Suits'").  I feel like it should be atty.

Jacob RIIS was a Danish-American journalist and social activism photographer.  He is most well known for his pioneering photos of the poor people living in cramped squalid conditions in the tenements of the Lower East Side.  One good way to remember how to spell his name is that he had two good "eyes" to see the poverty around him.

I'm not a gambler at all, so although I've read about the fantasy sports site DRAFT KINGS, it took quite a bit of crossfill for me to get it.

Did you know LUKE is the longest book in the New Testament?  Now you do!

I was totally baffled by "Brit in the news" back on January 6.  The wordplay popped up again today as "Brit discussing American politics."  It's Brit HUME, a journalist for ABC and Fox News.

Two mistakes slowed me down.  For "wiped out" I put *SPENT but it's the other definition, ATE IT.  And for "hey, don't look at me!" I put *I DIDN'T DO IT, which fits, but it's I'M INNOCENT!
Someday I'll remember the Oscar-winning Polish film IDA.  It appeared on November 12, 2017.  I had *AVA tentatively at first.

A lot of clever clues tickled me today: "Something to keep a watch on" is WRIST.  "Show of hands?" is TIME.  "What drivers try not to go over" is PAR.  "Peter or Paul, but not Mary" is TSAR.  "Take heat from?" is UNARM, which is a funny clue but bad fill.  "They can swing left or right" is PURPLE STATES.

I enjoyed this puzzle and its thoughtful clues!  It wasn't a SLOG at all, but a breath of fresh AIRE.