Spell-Off Champion

This is the 101st year of the national spelling competition, and the third time it's been decided by a rapid-fire "spell-off" since the practice was introduced in 2021

1. Frame 1The Scripps final shifts into a 90-second spell-off as Shrey Parikh, 14, wins a national contest for student spellers.
2. Frame 2He beat 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta 32-25, spelling more correct words during the speed round.
3. Frame 3Scripps later named bromocriptine as the word that secured Parikh the title.
4. Frame 4The win capped a rebound: Parikh finished third in 2024 and lost his school bee last year while sick.
5. Frame 5He leaves the bee with the trophy and $52,500 in cash as the competition's 111th champion.
6. Frame 6The next field is already waiting: Gupta has another year of eligibility, and Sarv Dharavane has two.