Unable to find an invalid external Link

Excel 2016
Opening a workbook identifies a link to an earlier version of this workbook
Data->Links confirms this link to an earlier version of this workbook
THe workbook is not protexted. None of the sheets in teh workbook are protected.

I click change source, select the current version (actually the workbook that is open and in which I am trying to make this change)
click OK but the reference does not change

I have searched the workbook for this reference but it cant be found
I have searched the workbook for [ and it finds a number of references to the current workbook [they are in cell A1 on different sheets which contains the function Cell("filename"] but none to the earlier version identified by edit->link

I simply cant find the cell with the link

I search the text in my macros and vba code but cant find the reference there

So I go for 'Break Link'. Accept the warning
But data->edit link continues to report the same link
File save and Open
But data->edit link continues to report the same link

So please how can I find this link and make the problem go away?

TFAI

I've encountered this from time to time.

Often it's a defined range name that contains the link, or sometimes a shape object which might be hidden or reduced to a very small pixel size that contains a hyperlink.

The other approach I often use is a repeated binary reduction of first sheets, then columns then rows. i.e. delete half the sheets and see if that solves the problem, if not re-open the workbook and delete the other half of the sheets. If that solves the problem then re-open the workbook and delete half of the previous half of the sheets you deleted...etc. Eventully you'll identify a single sheet wherein the link lies. Then adopt the same approach to deleting half the rows, and then half the columns. At some stage it should then become apparent what's causing the problem.

Cracked it. Thank you.
Somehow a link had got into a conditional format!
And that's weird as links are not allowed in conditional formats!Cond Fmt with Link.jpg