maybe...

http://www.contextures.com/xlfaqApp.html#ReadOnly
From Debra Dalgleish's site.

Nona wrote:

I get the message "Locked for editing by (my name)" when I try to open an
excel file. It gives the options of "read only" or "notify" and "cancel".
How do I get this "lock" off. I don't know how it was put on!!

--

Dave Peterson