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One quick way to locate a distinct value in a spreadsheet without relying on VLOOKUP is by using the FILTER function. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Select the range of cells where you want to filter the data.
2. In the Ribbon menu, navigate to the Home tab, click on the Sort & Filter dropdown, and select the Filter option.
3. Click on the dropdown arrow in the column header where you want to locate the distinct value.
4. Select the "Filter by Color" option and choose "Filter by Cell Color" or "Filter by Font Color".
5. Choose the color that you want to filter by and click OK.
6. The filtered data will show only the cells with the selected color, making it easier to spot any distinct values.

Another way is to use the COUNTIF function to count the number of times a value appears in a range of cells. If the count is one, then that value is unique. Here's how to do it:

1. Select an empty cell where you want to display the result.
2. Enter the COUNTIF function with the range of cells and the value you want to search for in the arguments.
3. If the result is 1, then the value is distinct. If not, then it appears more than once.

These are just a couple of examples, but there are many other methods and functions you can use depending on your specific needs.