Tejas Muthusamy, speller 264, is a returning finalist. That doesn't mean he knows every word he comes across -- even if he can spell them.
His word, "billiken," is "probably formed from a name plus an English combining form," Dr. Bailly said.
"Yay," Tejas said. It means a squat smiling comic figure used as a mascot.
Tejas got it right.