The XJS hood latch(s) mechanism is a bit complicated. My passenger side latch works correctly.
However, my driver side latch, does not latch. It seems the hood probe(?) is not captured, and simply rests above the catch latch.
(Also, if you look at the hood, you can see where it has been improperly (rhetorically, why is it difficult to simply close a hood?) closed. Perhaps slammed shut, and the probe mounts dimpled upward the hood.)
My one niggling concern is that in attempting adjustment, the latch then refused to release the probe... and I am left in the quandary of how do I then open the hood?
If I look at the below diagram, it seems the holes for bolt "13" are augered to allow adjustment. It is not obvious, looking first hand at the bracket, that the holes are augered for adjustment.

​​​https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...f682859fb0.jpg


Driver's side of hood near firewall raised a bit due to not latching. Passenger side latches.

 

Looks Like you have the exact same car that I have. I had problems with the passenger side not latching. You can remove the latch mechanism bracket and elongate the holes to raise the latch to engage the latching rod. On mine I also had to install a spacer under the rod to get it closer to the latch. Mine was 1/4 in to high, quite a lot. I don't know how it got that way and can't imagine it came like that from new. I also ground off the tapered "ears" at the end of the rod to match the circumference. If you can not open the hood with the inside lever maybe due to a broken cable there is no way to get it open unless you remove the hood from the front. The "ears" would prevent you from sliding it off towards the front. I saw a replacement rod for sale without the "ears". Not to difficult to do. Good luck