The Bee Blog

Bow tie

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:51

Owen Kovalik, speller 128, clad in a bow tie two days in a row, is out. The Ohio eighth grader misspelled Dewar, a glass or metal container with at least two walls that has the space betw...

Will you spell it?

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:47

"Can I have the part of speech?" asked Varad Mulay, speller 37. "Can I have the spelling, please?" Unfortunately, the Michigan eighth grader got it. He misspelled warison, a bugle ca...

Out

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:42

Sohum Sukhatankar, speller 25 misspelled roussette, a small shark or dogfish of a family of predatory sharks. The Texas fifth grader is the first casualty of the round. ...

End of the round

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:39

It's the end of round four. After 40 spellers, six misspelled and are out. There are still 34 in the competition. We'll be back in a moment. ...

Another down

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:33

Aisha Randhawa, speller 288 misspelled dimity, a sheer cotton fabric of plain weave that is usually checked or striped by corded effects which are made by weaving two or more threads as one. S...

Got it right

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:12

"OK," said Alex Iyer, speller 259, upon hearing his word - salicylism. It's a toxic condition produced by the excessive intake of salicylic acid and marked by ringing in the ear...

Another is out

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 11:09

Ashrita Gandhari, speller 214 misspelled elidible - capable of being passed over or suppressed. The Massachusetts fourth grader is out. ...

Down to the wire

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:57

Maggie Sheridan, speller 176, clearly didn't know her word, whirlicote. It's a heavy and luxurious carriage or a coach. When she finished spelling - with only a second to spare on the time clock - ...

The first upset

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:53

Rutvik Gandhasri, speller 189, is out. The California eighth grader finished sixth last year, in his first Bee. This year, he was tripped up by the word auteur, a film directo...

Nerves

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:43

The spellers are dealing with nerves this morning - and without the help of some fidget spinners that could help them channel their energy. "I’m pretty nervous," said Nikhil Lahiri, speller&...

Tejas is still in it

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:35

Tejas Muthusamy, speller 143, is in his fourth and last Bee. The Virginia eighth grader spelled chryselephantine, composed of or adorned with gold and ivory. He asked about the Gre...

Forgetfulness

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:28

Grant Taylor, speller 136, blogs about his Bee experience. He's a two-time participant, and tied for 50th place in 2015. The Texas eighth grader said he didn't move on to the Finals before, so...

Two down

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:21

"What is it?" asked Brendan Pawlicki, speller 99, upon hearing his word, desman. The audience chuckled. "Huh," he said, upon learning it was a an aquatic insectivorous mammal of Russia...

Iron

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:13

Mira Dedhia, speller 75, knew her word - ferriferous - came from the Latin root word for iron. It was so specific, in fact, that that's its definition: containing iron. Mira...

Charlie Brown

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:06

Erin Howard, speller 36, air-types her words as she spells. The Alabama sixth grader spelled alopecia correctly after chuckling at the sentence: "It was Charlie Brown's alopecia that help...

Tune in now!

Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:02

"Should we do this?" Dr. Bailly asks. "No," says Melodie Loya, speller 9, a New York sixth grader. Melodie writes on her hand as she spells napiform correctly. &nbs...

The finalists are...

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - 18:14

There will be 40 spellers moving on to the Finals of the Bee, which start tomorrow morning. They are: Speller 9, Melodie Loya, a New York sixth grader Speller 25, Sohum Sukhatankar, ...

End of the round, and Edith spells it right.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - 17:46

Edith Fuller, speller 290, asked for everything she could when spelling tapas, foods served or consumed informally usually in small amounts and typically under other circumstances than as a regular me...

You don't look it

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - 17:37

Rishubh Kaushal, speller 249, asked Dr. Bailly how he was. So Dr. Bailly reciprocated. "Mortally terrified," Rishubh said. "You don't look it," Dr. Bailly replied. He's probably f...

Spellers are getting demanding

Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - 17:29

First, speller 245, Jashun Paluru, said he hoped Dr. Bailly didn't mean it literally when he said he'd jump in if he heard any issues with his pronunciation. He didn't. Jashum spelled sculptur...