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Rather than using numeric notation use what's given from the instructin.
And yes meursault.

Okay. Thanks

I no longer recall dates with precision but think Meursault's chronology is correct; but the place still looks as if it belongs to the govt.,so we can stretch a point. What's been nagging me is the sheer unlikeliness of compiling here. First, you would have to get 16 words of suitable content that could be fitted into a symmetric grid. Then, preserving the symmetry, find words for the indexes that joined on to the existing network and of which the letters were in just the right order to give the answer. It all seems so unlikely to be achievable that the result here must be acclaimed!

Yes, you're right, Durban. The setter went to a lot of trouble on this. and retained symmetry in the grid. My point was more of an observation than a criticism.

All done, but I can't solve the wordplay of 22 - "versatile performers with no trace of class". I am also puzzled as to how 'Washington DC maybe" turns into Wcity.

Moffat, 22 is anagram of voice within mokes (variety actors) and with the C (trace of class) dropped out. Then the S is an extra letter.

29 is anagram of ruled within city. Washington DC is just used as an example of a city.

OK but the answer to 29 is not in my dictionary.

I've got SERB and HERB but not satisfied with either

I agree that the grid is a very fine achievement, and the endgame is cleverly orchestrated.

Can anyone explain how the first bit of 2d works. I don't see how the deletion of W from a word for 'legislation' is indicated except by regarding 'disrobe' as doing double duty, and even then it's dubious.

Woodlouse, I have credulity in 2008 edition of Chambers.
5 seems to be double wordplay, SE rob, and bores retreating. Definition Slav, O an extra letter.
35 wordplay is clueing 5 down holding H for Henry, S an extra letter.

Dryden, LA is Legislative Assembly. The people doing the legislating may be either men or women, but I assume that this is just a case of the setter choosing women. So LA accounts for 'Legislation making women'...I think.

What a good puzzle. I was hindered by finding an extra letter (T) in 37 which made it impossible to decipher the end of the instruction. At first sight there is an extra letter there until you realise that definition is also the wordplay - which to a newbie like me seems unusual.
Some very clever clues. I enjoyed this one.