How to protect format of cell $A$1, but let other cells be unprotected.

I thought I completely understood Excel’s cell protection features, but today I realized I still have things to learn.
I did not know that it was impossible to protect the format of specific cells.  It is all or nothing.  If any portion of the worksheet is protected, the format of every cell is protected.
Or maybe I am missing something. If so can someone please tell me what I am missing?
Without using VBA I want the format of cell  $A$1 to ALWAYS BE MM/DD/YY.
Other cells should be unprotected so that their format can be changed.
 
Seems simple right?  But I am beginning to think it is impossible.
 
The following creates a worksheet that allows me to change the value of any cell except A1.
1 Create new worksheet.
2 Ctrl A to select all cells
3 Ctrl 1 > Font > protection > clear the "Locked" checkbox > OK
4 select A1
5 Ctrl 1 > Font > protection > turn on the "Locked" checkbox > OK
6 ribbon > review tab > protect sheet > OK .  The protect sheet tab looked like this
But I cannot change the Format of any cell in the worksheet.
I then changed step 6 and tried many variations of the 15 check boxes, but that didn’t help.

rberke (aka UncleBob)
 
 protect a worksheet so that cell A! cann