Contact Search Not Working

Since ios lateet update, the search within Contacts doesn't work. When you enter letter(s) into search box, phone displays No Results. Only way to get to them is scroll or select first letter via right hand index or speak into Siri.

Prior to software update, entering each letter into search box refined search until you get to specific single contact. I tried restarting phone and no effect.

my device is a iPhone 15 pro max and iOS is 17.2.1.