The Scripps National Spelling Bee, a cherished tradition spanning a century, is underway this week, gathering the finest spellers of the English language. The three-day competition kicks off on Tuesday and culminates on Thursday night.
A Historic Event Returns to Washington
First held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited newspapers to send their champions to the nation's capital, the bee returns to Washington D.C. this year. After many years in suburban Maryland, the event now takes place at Constitution Hall, just blocks from the White House. This marks the 98th edition of the bee, which was cancelled from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 111th, as previous years have seen ties, including an eight-way tie in 2019.
New Host and Notable Trends
Adding a fresh element, ESPN NFL analyst and recent Celebrity Jeopardy! champion Mina Kimes joins the event as television host. Notably, 30 of the past 36 champions have been of Indian heritage, including last year's winner, Faizan Zaki.
How to Watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee
The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company. On Tuesday, preliminary rounds will stream on Scripps Sports Network and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET. Wednesday's quarterfinals will stream on the same platforms from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and semifinals from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tape-delayed semifinals will air on ION from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Finals will broadcast Thursday on ION from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Additional coverage is available on ION Plus, Bounce, Grit, Laff, The Spot, Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More, Scripps News, and Scripps Sports Network.
Rules of the Competition
Spellers qualify through regional bees hosted by sponsors nationwide. To compete, they must not have advanced beyond eighth grade or be older than 15. Contestants face two preliminary rounds: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round, using words from a provided list. Those who advance take a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so moving to quarterfinals. Words for the test and subsequent rounds come from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary. During quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated through oral spelling or vocabulary questions. About a dozen spellers reach the finals, and when only two remain, Scripps may use a lightning-round tiebreaker called a "spell-off" to determine the champion.
Who Is Competing This Year?
This year's bee features 247 spellers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, and five other countries: The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates. The top returning finisher from 2025 is Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, who placed third as an 11-year-old fifth-grader. Other contenders include:
- Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Rancho Cucamonga, California, who finished third in 2024 and has dominated recent bees.
- Oliver Halkett, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Los Angeles who tied for seventh last year.
- Esha Marupudi, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Chandler, Arizona, who also tied for seventh in 2025.
Prizes for the Champion
The winner receives a custom trophy and over $50,000 in cash and prizes. Prize payouts are as follows:
- First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, a custom trophy and commemorative medal, and $1,000 in flight credits from Delta Air Lines.
- Second place: $25,000.
- Third place: $15,000.
- Fourth place: $10,000.
- Fifth place: $5,000.
- Sixth place: $2,500.
- All other finalists: $2,000.
