While in edge mode and hovering over a vertex, it should blink a light yellow then you can click on the vertex as a bright yellow to solidify the selection.
Can you please clarify what you mean by “while in edge mode”?
while using the freehand sketch mode for drawing the edge on the phi surface
Aha, I underestand. So when the mouse approaches a vertex, it “locks” on it. Yes good point, adding it to the todo list with high priority, thanks!