247 Spellers Compete for $52,500 at 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 26
247 Spellers Compete for $52,500 at 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee
15 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 26
247 contestants from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., three U.S. territories and five other countries began the three-day Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington on Tuesday.
The field must survive two preliminary rounds and a written spelling-vocabulary test before roughly 100 advance to quarterfinals, with about a dozen reaching Thursday night’s finals.
Top returning contenders include 2025 third-place finisher Sarv Dharavane, 2024 third-place finisher Shrey Parikh, and 2025 seventh-place finishers Oliver Halkett and Esha Marupudi.
The champion will receive $52,500 in cash and prizes, while the 98th bee returns to Constitution Hall after years in suburban Maryland and will air on Scripps platforms, with Mina Kimes hosting the televised rounds.
With a new host and producer, what changes will define this year's high-stakes national spelling bee?
Can an NFL analyst's 'big-game' approach make the century-old Spelling Bee more popular than ever?
Beyond memorization, what is the secret technique these kids use to spell unheard-of words?