I think the trick is that with 2 4x1 MUXes you actually get 4 Input Select

signals and 2 Enable Inputs to play with, for a total of 6 control bits. You only
need 3 control bits for a real 8x1 MUX (4 if you need an enable). IF you get a
bit liberal/imaginative with your control interface to 8x1 MUX you can define
a control protocol that works.

Let S0, S1, E0 be the select input bits and enable bit for the first 4x1 MUX.
Let S2, S3, E1 be the select input bits and enable bit for the second 4x1 MUX.

The outputs of the two 4x1 MUXes should be wired together.

Whatever logic controls the 8x1 MUX needs to ensure that E0 = !E1 at all
times to avoid a short circuit condition. For Input Select = 0 - 3, it should set
E0 = 1 and E1 = 0. or Input Select = 4 - 7, it should set E0 = 0 and E1 = 1.

As you more or less correctly stated, control logic for the circuit could be
implemented as follows:

Let S0', S1', and S2' be the logical select inputs for the 8x1 MUX:

INPUTS OUTPUTS
S2' S1' S0' S1 S0 S3 S2 E0 E1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1
Plainly from this truth table:

S0 = S2 = S0'
S1 = S3 = S1'
E0 = !S2'
E1 = S2'
So you will need an Inverter gate at a minimum for the control logic. As far
as I can tell you can't do it with "just wire."
Construct 16-to-1 line multiplexer with two 8-to-1 line multiplexers and one 2-to-1 line
multiplexer. Makes suitable assumptions, if any 5m Dec2005
Multiplexer
Multiplexer is one of the basic building units of a computer system which in principle allows
sharing of a common line by more than one input lines. It connects multiple input lines to a single
output line. At a specific time one of the input lines is selected and the selected input is passed on
to the output line.
Relation between multiple Input lines and Selection lines

Input lines 16 = 24 i.e. 4 Selection lines

Input lines will be I0 - I15

Selection lines will be S0 - S3

Block Diagram:

Constructed Diagram:
The diagram will be same as of the block diagram
of 16-to-1 line multiplexer in which 8-to-1 line
multiplexer Selection lines will be S0 - S2and S3will
be connected to 2-to-1 line multiplexer Selection
and First 8-to-1 line multiplexer Input lines will
be I0 - I7and Second8-to-1 line multiplexer Input
lines will be I8 - I15