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Meursault, I think the setter probably intends unicode, as you say, but that is not what the preamble implies by 'modern scientific way' since the modern scientific body, the IAU, recommends something else.

To my mind the endgame of the puzzle is ambiguous. If it's not ambiguous it requires professional knowledge that is beyond the reach of the average solver.

We had several ambiguous endgames last year. What a pity to have one so early this year.

Yes, Dryden, there is certainly ambiguity here. From SW to NE, particular care should be taken with the symbols for entities 4 and 8. I don't send my puzzles in, but I suspect that there may be some latitude given.

I've cold-solved all but 5 of the clues but cannot see how to progress as the lengths of clue answers do not correspond with lengths in the grid. . A nudge would be very welcome.

Escuan
As one of the previous posts implies, there are clashes which have to be resolved. The clashes when resolved are of a kind. Meursault has told you roughly where they occur. I've completed, but I'm still puzzled by the title.

Escuan, I found that it was easiest not to be deterred by the discrepancies of answer lengths and available entry lengths. I thought, just suppose the 4 clued 10-letter answers formed to NW and SE corners. I reckoned that was worth following, I'd soon find out if that was wrong from the 9- and 7- letter answers available. You should be able to develop the NW and SE parts of the grid, then progressively work inwards. At one stage or another, you'll see what's going on. I hope this helps.

I don't understand the wordplay in -
Grape skins etc that can be fermented without agitation, liable to wither (11)
The answer is MARCESCIBLE and I can see MARC for the grape skins but how does the rest of the clue work?

I have really enjoyed this crossword - Just got to find the symbols!

I don't understand the answer to "liable to wither" either. Do you mean you know what the symbols represent but haven't found their graphic representations yet? There are lots of nice pictures to be found in a Google image search.
I have a full grid except for the last letter of the answer to "smooth, sensible director". I have the first three letters from the answers to down clues but is the last letter E? Or is it T with reference to the director Gus van? Does this clue furnish an extra letter?

Obviously it's neither E nor T but D with an extra E. My woodwork teacher always told us to call it "glasspaper".

For the wither clue, you need a word that means capable of being fermented, but so obvious that you are unlikely to think it would be used in the clue, then remove the agitation.

Do you mean after the MARC has been removed?