Well, when you pointed out that EMoe was on the right track with sports, it suddenly got easy. You had also, earlier, re-emphasized "sticks and balls".
I played this game because I enjoy puzzles and I like to be right. The latter is, admittedly, a slight, very slight, personality flaw.
No, I didn't feel "xylophone". I was guessing - I was going on flat surface and sticks and balls. The first part of the clues made me want to say pet. I, frankly, had no idea.
I might try to write one of these sometime over the long weekend.
Conner