Independent 10,585 / Radian

O (=old, as in OT) + X (=cross, as in a vote) + *(AN IDIOT); “forged” is anagram indicator

I (=one) in CNUT (=old king, i.e. Canute the Great); “on way back” indicates reversal

[A + CO- (=fellow-)] in PEAT (=fuel); a pea coat is a sailor’s coarse thick overcoat

AIM (=object, purpose) in RENT (=torn)

THON (=that Scottish, i.e. Scottish form of yon) + G; a thong is a skimpy item of underwear, like a (g-)string

[KIM (=Philby, i.e. British intelligence office) in SPIES (=agents)] + T<heir> (“leader” means first letter only)

{[HEW (=axe)] in *(FOREST OR)} + WEAR (=river, in NE England); “new” is anagram indicator

RA (=gunmen, i.e. Royal Artillery) + {E (=European) in [I (=one) + SHELL (=round, of ammunition)]}

Hidden (“at heart”) in “jusT WILLiam”

Letter “t” (=time) replaces “p” (=prince) in LEOPARD (=cat)

[P (=soft, i.e. piano) + ORRA (=odd Scottish, i.e. a Scottish word for odd)] in SN (=tin, i.e. chemical formula)

T<r>I<p> A<b>R<o>A<d>; “in odd places” means odd letters only are used; cryptically, a tiara is a brilliant, i.e. glistening, sparkling (head)band”

*(IT’S A RELIC); “strangely” is anagram indicator

CO (=business, i.e. company) + <char>M (“last to” means last letter only) + PETIT (=small Parisian, i.e. the French word for small) + OR (=men, i.e. other ranks)

[A + F (=strong, i.e. forte) + OR (=yellow, in heraldry)] in PINE (=long (for), yearn)

AR (=Arab) in SONG (=air, number)

L (=left) in KIT (=gear, equipment); the “tattoo” of the definition is a parade, march

UN (=peacekeepers, i.e. United Nations) + [RU (=sport, i.e. Rugby Union) in FITFUL (=restless)]

S (=southern) + TRIPPER (=tourist); e.g. paint stripper is a solvent

EX (=old flame) in ANNE (=queen); an annexe is an extension to a building, so could be “put on … to house …”

C (=clubs, in card) in SOT (=boozer)

S (=South) + US (=American) + [DER (=the German, i.e. a German word for the) in PENS (=writes, authors)]

Cryptically, a turtle will pull its neck back into its shell for protection

HA (=Hawaii, alternative to HI) in OPERAT<e> (=run; “nonstop” means last letter is dropped)

G (=grand, i.e. 1000 dollars) in EMIRATE (=Dubai for one, i.e. an example)

A in *(BORIS); “confused” is anagram indicator

TROP (PORT=left, on ship; “over” indicates reversal) + I<n> C<hequers> (“originally” means first letters only); a tropic is one of two lines on chart, i.e. world map

<f>LUTE; “to remove top of” means to drop the first letter

MACS (=rainproof clothing, i.e. mackintoshes); “revolutionary” indicates vertical reversal