Make any object (e. g., a rectangle). Make it no fill, no stroke.

Now the only way to select it is to surround it with a selection box.
You can't click on it.

Think I should report this as a bug?

There are many times I want to use a no-draw object. Maybe I want to temporarily hide
it, and this is one way to do it. Or I have used the object as a shape for text flow or
text on path.

You can select it in Outline mode (switch to it with Ctrl + 5).

Here's a bug report that discusses similar topic, it might be of interest to you: items with 0% opacity are not click-sensitive https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/196453

Interesting. I'd never used Outline mode. Unfortunately, my laptop does not have a keypad, so the only way to use Outline mode is the View menu.

Yes, the bug you reference is very related to my issue. There appears to be a discussion about "bug / not a bug". I'll put in my vote...

Thanks!

[

Mine doesn't kave a keypad either, but it has an "imbedded keypad" on the 789,UIO, JKL, M keys that I can access with a [fn] key.

So for me, I can get control+keypad 5 with ctrl+fn+i

Check out wour norebook user manual, most offer an embedded keypad like this. (It is also activated with the numlock key)

-Rob A>