With his eyes closed

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:59

Bee Week

Darian Douglas, speller 169, can spell with his eyes closed. No, literally. The Jamaica seventh grader spelled "lipogenic" -- producing or tending to produce fat -- with his eyes shut. The bet...

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You do not want me to do it

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:51

Bee Week

Louise Julia Grimaldo, speller 159, asked a question that she didn't *really* want the answer to. "Can I have the spelling?" the Idaho eighth grader asked when she heard her word, "iconoclastic." I...

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You can restart, but...

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:42

Bee Week

Yes, a speller can restart a word -- as Aryan Sant, speller 157, did when he spelled "vestibule" V-E-S-T-I-B-U-E. But once you've said a letter, you can't change its placement. So even though Ar...

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Well...

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:34

Bee Week

"I am, well --" Yifan Zhang, speller 153, said, frowning at Dr. Bailly. We're sure the Maryland eighth grader is feeling better after spelling "fallible" correctly.  It's liable to err...

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You do not say

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:27

Bee Week

Jaden Fellows, speller 140 and an Illinois seventh grader in his third Bee, got a funny sentence for "torpid." It means sluggish in functioning or acting, as in: Eric’s parents told him t...

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Not a medical doctor

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:23

Bee Week

"Hi Mr. Bailly -- Dr. Bailly, sorry," Sukesh Kamesh, speller 134, greeted the pronouncer. Dr. Bailly said it was OK. "I'm not a medical doctor," he told the Kansas eighth grader in his second Be...

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Get on with it

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:16

Bee Week

"Hi, how are you Pranav?" Dr. Bailly asked. "Not good," replied Pranav Kollu, speller 130 and an Illinois sixth grader in his second Bee. "OK, well let's get on with it," Dr. Bailly ...

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Fist pump-worthy

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 08:05

Bee Week

Speller 122, Luke Suko, fist-pumped after spelling his word, "epigrammatic," correctly. He asked for roots, the definition, the part of speech and a sentence. Luke looked nervous as he spelled with...

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Our first speller of the morning is out

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - 07:58

Bee Week

Owen Norwalk, speller 115 and an Indiana seventh grader, is out. He misspelled "autostrada," a high-speed multilane motor road first developed in Italy.   ...

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It's almost time to get started

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:44

Bee Week

Round 3 continues at 8 a.m. this morning. Now, spellers are hearing Dr. Bailly's "warm-up exercises" as he said, "sheep shears should be sharp" and "how now brown cow," among other phrases. To r...

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He got his wish -- and we are done today

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:35

Bee Week

Charles Fennell, speller 111, got his wish -- as he waited to spell "gingko" until the lights changed color. "G-I-N-K-O," the Connecticut sixth grader said, an alternative spelling of the word. ...

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Some more misspellings, some more information

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:25

Bee Week

Dr. Bailly likes gyros and the Pantheon -- but that didn't help the spellers. "Kostas thinks that nothing tastes as good as a fresh, hot gyro. I agree," Dr. Bailly said. Still, Raza Hidayath, sp...

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Tired, but OK

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:19

Bee Week

"How are you Rohan?" Dr. Bailly asked Rohan Jamtgaard, speller 102 and a Colorado eighth grader. "I'm... tired, but OK," Rohan said. "Yeah. It's a long day today," Dr. Bailly concurred. ...

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Bronies get a shout-out

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:13

Bee Week

Alyssa Burgos, speller 96, got the word "parvanimity" -- the quality or state of having a little or ignoble mind. The Maryland eighth grader misspelled the word. But we also want you...

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Aisha is still in it

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:04

Bee Week

Aisha Randhawa, speller 88, scribbled "redoubtable" on her hand on the way to spelling it correctly. The California eighth grader tied for seventh place last year, 35th place in 2017 and 22nd place...

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You remember Cameron?

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 18:00

Bee Week

Cameron Keith, speller 82, spelled both his words right on stage today. The Colorado seventh grader is in his fourth Bee. He tied for 25th place last year, 18th place in 2016 and 50th place in 2015...

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Rabbit?

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 17:51

Bee Week

"What's up, Doc?" Sahil Langote, speller 79, greeted Dr. Bailly. The Delaware eighth grader -- here for his second Bee -- spelled "culpable" correctly.  It means meriting condemnation or ce...

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Bees all week

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 17:47

Bee Week

Simone Kaplan, speller 65, was known last year for her daily bee-themed outfits. Earlier this week, her mother said she had a different pair of bee-themed shoes each day. The Florida seventh grader...

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Don't assume

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 17:34

Bee Week

Robert Rasmussen III, speller 60, didn't have to make any assumptions -- he knew how to spell "assumption." The word means something that is taken for granted : a supposition. "While writing on ...

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Got to keep mom happy

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 17:25

Bee Week

Bryson Browning, speller 46, was pretty sure he knew how to spell his word -- then he remembered to listen to his mom. "Labradoodle. Like, the dog breed?" he asked. Dr. Bailly replied in the aff...

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