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I have a complete grid apart from 39D and 40D. I have the highlighting and names 2 and 3. There are two possible common surnames ending with the letter suggested in an earlier post, but neither of them yields an 8-letter first name using the 6 remaining letters I have. Presumably the ambiguity is in one of the two words I don't yet have (I know which category they must appear in). Nudges welcome!

Cookie - 39D is a 'Meryl', the definition is the last 2 words.
- 40D also 'Meryl' - definition the last word.

Nearly there!
Can't parse 4d or 32a. Have both answers I think!

Correcting two careless errors sheds light! All done now. A fine puzzle, and the message is extended to all.

4d - a couple of crossword favourites (both 3 letters) for the two synonyms [around the obvious abbrev] for an alloy I hadn't heard of (7).
32a - 'hit' is the anagrind for the next word [after 2 letters for 'turn'] there's a letter missing.

I am clearly misunderstanding the rubric, but I have some serious contradictions in the grid. Both 45a and 25d appear to be of type XYTC, so they are entered normally - but there is a clash. The same thing appears to happen with 2ac and 7d, which seem also to be XYTC clues. In fact, it is worse than that, since 7d is too long for the entry.

I think I must be wrongly assigning the correct type to both 25d and 7d, and particularly the latter.

25d is anagrammed; 7d is a swap (xmas passed)

Thanks. I did have an anagram for 25d with a sort of offal and a type of deer, with a letter missing, but I will need to get that out of my mind. Similarly the apartment block did involve a swindle, but it did not quite work. Back to the drawing board.

Struggling to finish up this one. I haven't been able to get 9D despite the previous hints. As a result, I haven't been able to find the name for Meryl despite having all of the other letters. I'm not sure if I have a mistake or if the name is somewhat obscure.

I believe I have answers for 34D and 45A. But I don't understand the definition of the former and the wordplay for the latter.

Hints welcome :)

CH - You want a (predominantly) German authoritarian with 4 letters followed by R to get the court official