Ariel Kokoricha, speller 149, was ready to broker with the Bee's pronouncer.
"Dr. Bailly, if you give me a word I know, I'll spell it correctly," she said.
"OK, that's a deal," Dr. Bailly responded.
Then he gave the New Mexico eighth grader "certitude."
"You know, you broke the deal," she said. "I don't know that one."
Ariel went on to spell it correctly.
"I think I kept the deal," he said.
