WASHINGTON — Changes are coming to this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee as organizers respond to criticism over last year’s abruptly concluded competition. The event’s leadership has decided to give judges more flexibility in determining the champion, allowing the competition to extend beyond its scheduled broadcasting hours if necessary, rather than automatically resorting to a hasty “spell-off” tiebreaker.
Corrie Loeffler, the spelling bee’s executive director, highlighted the removal of previous time constraints, explaining how alleviating this pressure can keep the competition’s integrity intact. Last year’s finals prematurely forced the final spellers into a tiebreaker scenario that took place without a direct head-to-head contest, an outcome that left many veteran champions and aficionados disenchanted.
In last year’s event, contestant Bruhat Soma won the title during the spell-off, defeating Faizan Zaki, who returns this year for another shot at victory when the competition kicks off on May 27. Despite having practiced for months specifically for the tiebreaker scenario, Zaki expressed a strong desire for traditional competition, echoing a sentiment shared by many in the spelling bee community.
“The true tension of the finals emerges as we watch spellers face word challenges from the dictionary,” says Scott Remer, a renowned spelling coach working with Zaki. The traditional spelling bee requires synthesizing clues and information to spell each word accurately, a skillset distinct from that tested by a fast-paced spell-off.
The spell-off was only first used in 2022 when Harini Logan triumphed over Vikram Raju following a protracted duel. Dev Shah, a past champion, voiced his disapproval of how the following year’s event played out, suggesting it detracted from the event’s traditional spirit.
Historically, the spelling bee maintained no tiebreaker during much of the 2010s, showcasing co-champions from 2014 to 2016. However, the 2019 competition is infamous for concluding with an eight-way tie due to the unexpectedly adept skill level of competitors, exhausting the supply of challenging words.
Additionally, the current year sees the reinstatement of a written test in the preliminary rounds, a choice met with enthusiasm by participants. This test, incorporating 40 questions, will play a crucial role in trimming down participants to about 100 quarterfinalists and adjusting word difficulty for ensuing rounds.
Participants appreciate the inclusion of this measure, as it provides a comprehensive assessment of their abilities beyond just oral rounds. Writing tests typically level the playing field by exposing all competitors to identical vocabulary challenges, deemed by many as a fairer method of progression.
Molly Becker, editorial director for Scripps, underscores the important balance this reintroduction strives to strike, suggesting it maintains fairness while also allowing the event to accommodate increasing numbers of participants.