Playback fails after an abort

While I have 3.6 portable, I still work mostly with 3.5.2. This problem may exist in 3.6 but I encounter it mostly in 3.5, about which I write here.

Frequently when I click or press Space to start playback nothing happens. It just hangs. I can almost predict that it will happen, or make it happen, by playing a few notes, ending playback, and trying to restart it. I don't know all the possible causes or reasons. Just noting that it happens frustratingly often. The cure seems to be to close MuseScore and restart it.