My favourite clues were 53A, 54A, 25D, 45D with 54A the best of all for its superb surface reading).
* = anagram
ACROSS
1 CASSEROLE S = succeeded in CASE (box for wine) ROLE (function)
6 FOREARM Radius is a bone in the forearm so definition refers to that. Wordplay is EA (each) R(radius) in FORM (figure)
10 CELEB (definition = name from celebrity) Reversing B (British) ELEC(t) = almost choose (last letter off)
13 LIGHT-FINGERED (FIGHT)* in LINGERED (hovered), bent on nobbling = stealing
14 CANAL BOAT AN ALB (a white robe) in COAT (jacket)
15 ROTUNDA definition: it’s built round ie a round-shaped building UND (and in German) in ROTA (Catholic court)
16 TOW-HEAD (The woad)* A new word to me, so thankful for the straightforward anagram
17 INEPTLY IN (popular) PT (part) in ELY (cathedral city)
18 TRANQUILLITY N (note) QUILL (pen) in TRAIT (characteristic) Y (year) definition: calm
20 IN THE FLESH Double definition divided by the two sentences in the clue. ‘actually there’ ie eg as distinct from seeing on TV
23 CHINA = crony – hidden in machinations
24 HIT OR MISS miss = girl after half of lofty = HI(gh) TOR (peak)
25 PERFORM FOR (supporting) in PERM (hairstyle) definition: act
26 TENSIONLESS (tennis lesso)* lesson mostly, leave out last letter. definition:without strain
28 WHITECHAPEL definition: old bit of London TECH (technology) APE (copy) in WHIL(e), reduced time, last letter off
30 CURRY FAVOUR definition: suck up. mulligatawny (soup) could be used later for a curry (as a favour)
32 GOLDEN SYRUP (drugs openly)*
34 ORCHARD OR CHARD
36 STARBOARD right side of a ship 10A = celeb = star board = get on
38 ABIDE definition: stomach B (breadth) in AIDE (one helping)
39 SWEAT BLOOD (wood tables)*
41 COMPOSEDNESS definition refers to 18A (TRANQUILLITY) MP (politician) OS (overlarge = outsize) in COED (teaching both sexes) NESS (head)
45 CHEVRON cheer on with V (sign of victory) for e (at the heart ie as the middle letter)
46 EASTERN alternate letters (regularly) of SuTtEe in EARN (make money)
47 SERRATE Pun on Jag to make you think of Jaguar car RR (Rolls Royce) in SEATE(d) = nearly placed
49 TELEPHOTO (the pool te) te = table’s sides (outer letters)
50 ON A SHOESTRING definition; having very tight budget. ON (paid for by) a thin tier = shoestring ie a thin tier (something than ties ie shoelaces)
52 HEROD King from New Testament. t (time) away from ‘the rod’
53 SHEATHE heat (passion) in she (a woman)
54 DETERGENT definition: cleaner nuclear power = deterrent, replacing r (consumer ultimately ie last letter) with g = good
DOWN
1 CULPRIT PRI(m) in CULT (sect)
2 SAGITTARIAN (I start again)* Covers the period 23 Nov – 22 Dec (star sign)
3 EATEN definition: taken in “Eton”
4 ORIGAMI Cryptic definition
5 EGG brick = good egg eg (say) g (grand)
6 FIREWATER fire, water = opposing elements
7 REDDEN definition: flush (b)RED DEN
8 ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN (hence applicants wild)*
9 MANNISH inn (erected ie going upwards) in mash (pound)
10 CALLED-FOR definition: justified summoned = called for
11 LOOP THE LOOP Cryptic definition: refers to aircraft at shows
12 BUTTY crust of toast = TT (outer letters) in BUY (swallow ie believe, accept)
16 TILL THE COWS COME HOME Clue is “Prepare to be cultivated: stalls fill up endlessly”
‘endlessly’ looks like it’s the definition. and ‘prepare to be cultivated’ may be ’till’ – I don’t understand the rest tho so would be happy if anyone could explain it.
19 QUALITY definition: excellent LIT (literature) in QUAY (place for unloading). Borders has the false capital that crossword convention allows
21 HUMBLE PIE reference ‘eat humble pie’ admit a mistake, swallow pride
22 BIGWIG W = wife in GIGI (musical) coming over ie reversed B = book
23 CUT ACROSS r = back of pillar (last letter) in (stucco as)* definition: transcend the limits of
24 HANSARD record of parliamentary debates (ie House) A N (new) S (sound’s beginning) in HARD
25 PRETEND definition: imagined pre-tend ie nurse in advance
27 STREAK K (kilometres) for M (miles) in STREAM stream = small river streak = race
29 HUSBAND H US BAND
31 ROCKEFELLER E (energy) FELL (subsided) in ROCKER (garage artist maybe) garage band = amateur rock group Rockefeller = US millionaire
33 REITERATIVE I’ve following (tare tier) reversed tare = weight allowance tier = level
35 ARTHROPOD H (hinge’s foremost) in (trap-door)*
37 BROKERAGE BROKE (tamed) RAGE (fury)
40 LINGOES GO (fit) in LINES (grooves perhaps)
42 SUSPECT USP in SECT (faction) definition: dodgy
43 SLEIGHT definition: handy skill edges of small (outer letters) eight = cube (of the number two)
44 ESCORT cor! = my word! in est definition: conduct
45 CATCH CAT (Burmese cat) CH
48 ROTOR R (run) (m)OTOR
51 HOD hidden in shoddy
Excellent blog and tremendous puzzle. Thanks to both slogger and better.