What Happened to Scripps National Spelling Bee?
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual competition that has promoted literacy and celebrated linguistic prowess since 1925. After navigating format changes, a pandemic-induced cancellation in 2020, and recent controversies over tie-breaking rules, the Bee continues to evolve, drawing millions of viewers and crowning new champions each year. In 2026, the event returned to Washington, D.C., celebrating its enduring legacy.
Quick Answer
The Scripps National Spelling Bee continues to be a prominent annual event, fostering literacy and showcasing exceptional young spellers. After a cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of a 'spell-off' tiebreaker in 2022, the Bee saw Bruhat Soma win in 2024 and Faizan Zaki in 2025, marking its 100th anniversary. As of May 27, 2026, the competition is currently underway in Washington, D.C., at the DAR Constitution Hall, with 247 spellers vying for the championship.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
First National Spelling Bee Held
The first National Spelling Bee was organized by The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, with nine newspapers participating. Frank Neuhauser won by spelling 'gladiolus'.
E.W. Scripps Company Acquires Rights
The E.W. Scripps Company took over the sponsorship and operation of the National Spelling Bee, renaming it the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Competition Canceled Due to WWII
The Scripps National Spelling Bee was suspended for three years during World War II.
First Televised Broadcast
The Bee was first broadcast on television by NBC, expanding its reach to a wider audience.
Partnership with ESPN Begins
The Scripps National Spelling Bee began a broadcast partnership with ESPN, significantly increasing its national visibility.
First International Champion
Jody-Anne Maxwell from Jamaica became the first speller from outside the United States to win the Bee.
Vocabulary Questions Introduced
Vocabulary questions were added to the preliminary rounds, requiring spellers to understand word meanings in addition to spelling.
Unprecedented Eight-Way Tie
The competition ended in an unprecedented eight-way tie after organizers ran out of words difficult enough to challenge the top spellers. The Scripps Cup trophy was also introduced this year.
Competition Canceled Due to COVID-19
For the first time since World War II, the Scripps National Spelling Bee was canceled due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Word Meaning Rounds and Spell-off Introduced
New competition elements, including oral word meaning rounds and a 'spell-off' tiebreaker option, were introduced to challenge spellers and ensure a single champion.
First Spell-off Decides Champion
Harini Logan won the Bee in its first-ever spell-off, correctly spelling 22 words in 90 seconds. Viewership increased significantly after moving to Scripps' own networks.
Bruhat Soma Wins in Record Spell-off
Bruhat Soma won the 2024 Bee in a spell-off, setting a new record by spelling 29 words correctly in 90 seconds. The use of the spell-off drew some criticism.
Spell-off Rules Tweaked
Scripps announced adjustments to the spell-off rules, giving judges more discretion to allow traditional competition to continue longer before initiating the tiebreaker.
Faizan Zaki Wins 100th Anniversary Bee
Faizan Zaki, the 2024 runner-up, won the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which celebrated its 100th anniversary. His winning word was 'éclaircissement'.
Bee Returns to Washington D.C. for 2026 Competition
The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee is held at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., for the first time in 15 years, featuring 247 spellers.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, originally established in 1925 by The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, has grown into a significant cultural and educational institution in the United States. The E.W. Scripps Company took over sponsorship in 1941, solidifying its national presence and mission to promote literacy.
Historically, the Bee has adapted its format to accommodate increasing participation and competitive intensity. Early competitions were single-day events, but as contestant numbers grew, it expanded to a multi-day format. The competition was notably suspended during World War II (1943-1945) and again in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking rare interruptions in its long history.
Recent years have seen significant format innovations and some controversy. After experiencing multiple co-champions between 2014 and 2016, and an unprecedented eight-way tie in 2019, Scripps introduced new measures to ensure a single winner. In 2021, word meaning rounds and a 'spell-off' tiebreaker were added. The spell-off, a rapid-fire spelling challenge, was first utilized in 2022 when Harini Logan became champion. This tie-breaking method proved decisive again in 2024, with Bruhat Soma setting a new spell-off record by correctly spelling 29 words in 90 seconds to defeat Faizan Zaki. However, the use of the spell-off, particularly in 2024 when it was initiated before a traditional head-to-head duel, drew criticism from some former spellers and fans who felt it was 'forced and manufactured' to fit broadcast schedules.
The 2025 Bee marked its 100th anniversary, with Faizan Zaki, the 2024 runner-up, winning the championship by spelling 'éclaircissement'. Ahead of the 2025 competition, Scripps tweaked the spell-off rules, giving judges more discretion to let the traditional competition play out longer before resorting to the rapid-fire tiebreaker, addressing some of the prior criticisms. The 2025 event also saw a minor controversy regarding the inclusion of the word 'womyn' in a regional wordlist, which was quickly clarified as being consistent with the Bee's policy of accepting words from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.
As of May 27, 2026, the Scripps National Spelling Bee is actively taking place. The competition returned to Washington, D.C., at the DAR Constitution Hall for the first time in 15 years, hosting 247 spellers from across the U.S. and several other countries. Viewership for the Bee remains strong, with the 2023 semifinals and finals drawing 9.2 million viewers across Scripps' networks, a 22% increase over 2022. The champion of the 2026 Bee will receive a $50,000 cash prize, the Scripps Cup, and other awards, continuing a tradition that celebrates academic excellence and a love for language.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Scripps National Spelling Bee made different choices?