Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, notable spellers, rules and prizes

Nbcwashington · May 26, 2026 · 715 words · By Ben Nuckols; The Associated Press

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What to know about Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, notable spellers, rules and prizes

The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, continuing a more than century-old tradition.

Claims checked 24

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center86%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, continuing a more than century-old tradition.

Why it matters

The three-day competition begins Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.

Common ground

The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, notable spellers, rules and prizes?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The top returning finisher from 2025 is Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, who finished third last year as an 11-year-old fifth-grader?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/scripps-national-spell…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14

check_circle Corroborated 6

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “The top returning finisher from 2025 is Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, who finished third last year as an 11-year-old fifth-grader.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, a custom trophy and commemorative medal, and $1,000 in flight credits from Delta Air Lines.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Fourth place: $10,000.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 4: “This is the 98th bee”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources explicitly state that the current edition (2026) is the 98th Bee.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Scripps National Spelling Bee (formerly the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee and commonly called the National Spelling Bee) is an annual spelling bee held in the United States. The competitio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scripps_National_Spell…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Scripps National Spelling Bee, formerly the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee and often referred to as the National Spelling Bee or simply “the Spelling Bee” in the United States, is an annual …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripps_National_Spelling_Bee

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A spelling bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of words, usually with a varying degree of difficulty. To compete, contestants must memorize the spellings of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelling_bee

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Second place: $25,000.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 6: “spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to verify the age and grade eligibility requirements.

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Claim 7: “Esha Marupudi, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Chandler, Arizona, who also tied for seventh last year.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 8: “Shrey Parikh... winning the South Asian Spelling Bee, the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee and the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 9: “the bee returns to the nation's capital this year at Constitution Hall”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including the official Bee Week homepage and DAR National Headquarters, confirm the 2026 bee is held at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 10: “Third place: $15,000.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 11: “it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the Bee was canceled from 1943-1945 due to WWII and in 2020 due to COVID-19.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 12: “This year’s champion will be the 111th”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one relevant source (The Independent) mentions that this year's champion will be the 111th due to previous ties. Other search results for 'Winner' were irrelevant.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Winner has received awards from the Melon Music Awards, the Style Icon Awards and the MTV Asia Music Gala. Their lead single, "Really Really" from the album Fate Number For (2017) surpassed 100 millio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winner_(band)

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Enjoy the best odds & promotions at Winner Rwanda. Live Betting, jackpots and virtual games. Get your Welcome bonus now and win with us!
https://winner.rw/sportsbook/upcoming

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Enjoy the best odds & promotions at Winner Bet. Live Betting, Jackpots, and online Virtual Games are our passion. Get your Welcome Bonus now and win with us!
https://winner.bet/sportsbook/upcoming

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Claim 13: “Oliver Halkett, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Los Angeles who finished in a tie for seventh last year.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 14: “The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 15: “Thirty of the past 36 champions have been of Indian heritage, including last year’s winner, Faizan Zaki.”

CORROBORATED

Two independent news sources report that 30 of the past 36 champions have been of Indian heritage, including Faizan Zaki.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Kerry Close, the winner of the 2006 Bee, meeting President George W. Bush and his wife Laura at the White House after her victory.This year marked the 100th year anniversary of the spelling competitio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scripps_National_Spell…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — This year’s champion will be the 111th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019. Thirty of the past 36 champions have been of Indian heritage, including last …
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/scripps-na…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Thirty of the past 36 champions have been of Indian heritage, including last year’s winner, Faizan Zaki. The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-base…
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2026/05/26/spelling-bee-compet…

verified

Claim 16: “The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms the competition began in 1925 and was initially organized by the Louisville Courier-Journal.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 17: “Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Rancho Cucamonga, California, who finished third in 2024.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 18: “The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific dictionary used for the test.

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Claim 19: “Fifth place: $5,000.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 20: “The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company.”

CORROBORATED

Three different news outlets (WFTV, WTAJ, and a general guide) confirm the Bee is broadcast on platforms owned by the Cincinnati-based company Scripps.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 3 days ago ... The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company. On Tuesday, preliminary ...
https://abc7news.com/post/scripps-national-spelling-bee-guid…

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web search NEUTRAL — 2 days ago ... The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company. Wednesday's quarterfinals will ...
https://www.wftv.com/entertainment/scripps-national/NYRYFZGD…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 3 days ago ... The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company. On Tuesday, preliminary ...
https://www.wtaj.com/entertainment-news/scripps-national-spe…

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Claim 21: “ESPN NFL analyst and recent “Celebrity Jeopardy!” champion Mina Kimes has joined the bee as its television host.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources confirm that ESPN analyst and Celebrity Jeopardy champion Mina Kimes is the host for the 2026 Bee.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee is a spelling bee competition being held at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. out of a desire to bring the bee back to D.C. proper after being held at th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/98th_Scripps_National_Spelling…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mina Mugil Kimes (born September 8, 1985) is an American journalist who specializes in business and sports reporting. She has written for Fortune, Bloomberg News, and ESPN. She is a senior writer at E…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_Kimes

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Mina Kimes is taking over as television host of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and the ESPN NFL analyst hopes to use her outsider's perspective to ...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/mina-kimes-takes-over-as-s…

+ 2 more evidence sources

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Claim 22: “Sixth place: $2,500.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 23: “All other finalists: $2,000.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 24: “This year's bee has 247 spellers representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five other countries: The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.