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Still wondering if I've got the right context to complete the puzzle - the initial one works very neatly but after much reading my only candidate for the cells beneath seems too woolly to be true.
Quite enjoyed the process, but the preamble isn't as helpful as it could be (and the work hasn't enough appeal for me to dig much deeper). I'm sure it'll appeal to many of the regulars here, though - any tips?

I thought the context was confirmed by the 5 of 395, drxx. I’m sure I have everything, but I agree that the cells beneath don’t seem to say much (the symbol was in the second cell, for me)

Yes, I overcomplicated it - have it now (but thanks, quisling).

...I was expecting the puzzle to move on to the next stage and a new context rather than repeat an earlier discovery (a missed opportunity there, I think).

I have 11 of the 12 extra letters, and I know what the 12th must be ... but I can't arrange them to make anything. Are there 5 in the acrosses and 7 in the downs?

Yes.

It's a good thing that there are no prizes any more - it means I can ask questions in a guilt-free manner. I'm pretty confident that the product of the seven down clue numbers is 16,803,072, but less so that the five acrosses come to 998,784. Still can't find the letter required after the one from 34A though.

34a is the last of the acrosses - 2d is the first of the downs (the big ugly numbers I'll leave to someone more...}.

Your downs are right. It looks like you are missing 20a and have 6a in its stead. I don’t know what you have for 6a, but it’s not raisins

I have the same as you quisling and drxx, the final encoding seems somewhat odd and dare I say it, underwhelming? Unless I've missed something hidden, whihc is always possible!