Quick answer: The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual U.S. competition held since 1925 for students who have not finished eighth grade and are under 15. Spellers qualify through classroom, school and regional bees at schools enrolled in the program. The 2026 champion was Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, who won in a spell-off by spelling a record 32 words in 90 seconds.
What Is the Scripps National Spelling Bee?
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the largest and longest-running spelling competition in the United States. The first national bee was held in 1925, and the E.W. Scripps Company has run the program for most of its history. Spellers from across the country, and some from other nations, compete each spring in the Washington, D.C., area for the Scripps Cup.
The 2026 national competition took place at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., with 247 spellers.
Who Can Enter?
For the Scripps program, a speller must:
- ➥Not have completed eighth grade on or before August 31 of the year before the national finals.
- ➥Not have turned 15 on or before that same August 31.
- ➥Attend a school that is enrolled in the Scripps program for that year.
- ➥Not have won a previous national championship.
Adults cannot enter Scripps, but there are plenty of community and charity bees for grown-ups. See our guide to the spelling bee for adults.
How Spellers Qualify: Classroom to Nationals
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Classroom bee | Teachers find the strongest spellers in each class |
| School bee | Classroom winners compete for the school title |
| District or county bee | Some areas add an extra round |
| Regional bee | The regional champion earns a place at nationals |
| National finals | Preliminaries, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals |
Teachers can start the journey with our guide on how to host a classroom spelling bee.
Rules at the National Finals
- ➥Spellers have 90 seconds to spell each word.
- ➥They may ask for the definition, part of speech, language of origin, a sentence and alternate pronunciations.
- ➥Letters cannot be changed once spoken.
- ➥Rounds include oral spelling and multiple-choice word meaning questions.
- ➥Merriam-Webster Unabridged is the official dictionary.
- ➥If needed, judges can call a spell-off: each remaining speller has 90 seconds to spell as many words as possible from the same list.
The spell-off was introduced in 2021 and has decided the title three times: in 2022, 2024 and 2026. For the full rules used in classroom and local bees, read our spelling bee rules guide.
Recent Scripps Spelling Bee Winners
| Year | Champion | Winning word or result |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Shrey Parikh, Rancho Cucamonga, California | Won a spell-off with a record 32 words in 90 seconds; Scripps named bromocriptine the winning word |
| 2025 | Faizan Zaki, Texas | éclaircissement |
| 2024 | Bruhat Soma, Tampa, Florida | Won a spell-off with 29 words in 90 seconds |
| 2023 | Dev Shah, Largo, Florida | psammophile |
| 2022 | Harini Logan, San Antonio, Texas | moorhen, after the first-ever spell-off |
| 2021 | Zaila Avant-garde, New Orleans, Louisiana | Murraya |
| 2020 | No champion | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019 | Eight co-champions | The "octochamps," including auslaut and bougainvillea |
Famous Winning Words
- ➥gladiolus, the very first winning word in 1925.
- ➥scherenschnitte (2015), at 15 letters the longest winning word.
- ➥psammophile (2023), an organism that thrives in sandy places.
- ➥éclaircissement (2025), a French word meaning a clearing up or explanation.
Winning words have become much harder over the decades because spellers now study roots, language patterns and huge word lists. Our hardest spelling bee words guide explains how to study words by language of origin.
How to Start Preparing for a Spelling Bee
- ➥Ask your school whether it is enrolled with Scripps; enrolled schools receive official study lists.
- ➥Use grade-level lists first, such as our 6th grade, 7th grade and 8th grade spelling words.
- ➥Learn roots from Greek, Latin and French.
- ➥Practice aloud with the say-spell-say routine and a 90-second timer.
- ➥Play word puzzles such as the daily Spelling Bee puzzle to build pattern skills.
- ➥Follow a routine: our spelling bee practice routine covers daily study.
Is the Scripps Bee Related to the Spelling Bee Puzzle?
No. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is a live oral competition for students. The Spelling Bee word puzzle, where you build words from seven letters, is a different game. Both are great for vocabulary, and many young spellers enjoy the puzzle as practice.
Final Thoughts
The Scripps National Spelling Bee has celebrated young spellers for over a century. It starts in ordinary classrooms and ends on a national stage, and every champion began by learning one list at a time. If you or your child are curious, start with a classroom bee and a few minutes of daily practice.