These are all things that have been mentioned hundreds of time. There are dozens of things still to be added to the new app to bring it somewhere close to the old one, with playlist management being one that will be sorted. I expect searching by letter will appear at some point. 
Unfortunately it’s waiting game for everyone.

Thanks Rhonny,

& Mea Culpa, I should hae searched the posts before creating this new one.

Like a lot of other people I see this as a retrograde step.

Interestingly I have a new Audi car on order and one of attractions was that it had a sonos music system. I may very well cancel that car order, given Sono’s insensitive decison to remove play list functionality.

That action would be extreme and I’d suggest unnecessary. They have not removed playlist functionality. They’ve introduced a new (and currently woeful) app where they have yet to add in the things that made the last app work well for everyone. It will all be sorted as Sonos cannot afford for it not to be. Don’t cancel your car order over this temporary blip.