Sarah Roberts, Speller 437, nearly danced to the microphone. But then the Virginia eighth grader heard from Dr. Bailly, and got nervous.
"This word has some homonyms," he greeted her.
"Uh oh. OK," Sarah replied.
She correctly spelled "bokeh," the blurred quality or effect seen in the out-of-focus portion of a photograph taken with a narrow depth of field.
Next up was Cassie Rust, Speller 438 and a Utah eighth grader.
"Ahoy, Dr. Bailly," she said. Cassie was last here in 2016, when she tied for 172nd place.
"Ahoy there, Cassie, he replied.
Cassie correctly spelled "Maecenas," a generous benefactor; especially : a generous patron of literature or art.
