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US spelling competition winners
Kerry Close, the winner of the 2006 Bee, meeting President George W. Bush and his wife Laura at the White House after her victory.
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 competition began in 1925, and was initially organized by The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky , until the Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company (now the E. W. Scripps Company ) assumed sponsorship in 1941. Every speller in the competition has previously participated in a local spelling bee, usually organized by a local newspaper.
The first champion was Frank Neuhauser of Louisville, who beat eight other finalists to win the inaugural competition. He was honored with a parade in his hometown, where and when he was presented with bouquets of gladioli in commemoration of the winning word "gladiolus ", and returned to the Bee a number of times as a guest of honor. The first girl to win was Pauline Bell, also of Louisville, the following year. Girls won nine consecutive competitions from 1932 to 1940. Joint winners have been crowned on seven occasions in the Bee's history. The first such occurrence was in 1950, when Dean Colquitt and Diana Reynard were declared co-champions after the contestants had exhausted the list of available words. In both 1957 and 1962 joint champions were declared when both remaining contestants spelled the same word incorrectly. After three consecutive ties between 2014 and 2016, a written tiebreaker round was introduced, but it was discontinued for the 2019 Bee, which subsequently resulted in an unprecedented eight-way tie when the organizers ended the final session after the remaining contestants had completed five consecutive perfect rounds.
Although the competition is titled "National", it is not restricted to spellers from the United States. In 1998, Jody-Anne Maxwell from Jamaica became the first speller from outside the US to win the Bee, as well as the first black winner. In recent decades the competition has been dominated by Indian-American students. Although people of South Asian origin make up less than one percent of the U.S. population, the vast majority of the winners since 1999, including all fourteen champions between 2008–2018 and seven of the eight co-champions in 2019, have come from the South Asian community.
One such speller, Nihar Janga from Austin, Texas , became the youngest champion in the Bee's history when he won the title in 2016 at the age of 11. The 93rd Scripps National Spelling Bee was the first time that an African-American (Zaila Avant-garde ) became the champion and only the second time that the champion was a black person.
The competition was not held from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II . The 2020 competition was canceled due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic .
Champions
The Secretary to the President, Everett Sanders congratulating Betty Robinson, the winner of the 1928 Bee.
Kavya Shivashankar, the 2009 winner, meeting President Barack Obama .
Sukanya Roy , the winner of the 2011 competition.
Edition
Year
Competition-ending word
Winner
Sponsor
Sponsor's location
1st
1925
gladiolus
Frank Neuhauser
The Courier-Journal
Louisville, Kentucky
2nd
1926
cerise
Pauline Bell
The Courier-Journal
Louisville, Kentucky
3rd
1927
abrogate
Dean Lucas
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
4th
1928
knack
Betty Robinson
South Bend News-Times
South Bend, Indiana
5th
1929
luxuriance
Virginia Hogan
Omaha World-Herald
Omaha, Nebraska
6th
1930
albumen
Helen Jensen
The Des Moines Register and Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
7th
1931
foulard
Ward Randall
White Hall Register-Republican
White Hall, Illinois
8th
1932
invulnerable
Dorothy Greenwald
The Des Moines Register and Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
9th
1933
torsion
Alma Roach
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
10th
1934
brethren
Sarah Wilson
Portland Evening Express
Portland, Maine
11th
1935
intelligible
Clara Mohler
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
12th
1936
eczema
Jean Trowbridge
The Des Moines Register and Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
13th
1937
promiscuous
Waneeta Beckley
The Courier-Journal
Louisville, Kentucky
14th
1938
sanitarium
Marian Richardson
The Louisville Times
Louisville, Kentucky
15th
1939
canonical
Elizabeth Ann Rice
Telegram & Gazette
Worcester, Massachusetts
16th
1940
therapy
Laurel Kuykendall
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
17th
1941
initials
Louis Edward Sissman
The Detroit News
Detroit , Michigan
18th
1942
sacrilegious
Richard Earnhart
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
19th
1946
semaphore
John McKinney
The Des Moines Register and Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
20th
1947
chlorophyll
Mattie Lou Pollard
Atlanta Journal
Atlanta, Georgia
21st
1948
psychiatry
Jean Chappelear
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
22nd
1949
onerous
Kim Calvin
Canton Repository
Canton, Ohio
23rd
1950
meticulosity
Diana Reynard†
Cleveland Press
Cleveland, Ohio
Colquitt Dean†
Atlanta Journal
Atlanta, Georgia
24th
1951
insouciant
Irving Belz
Memphis Press Scimitar
Memphis, Tennessee
25th
1952
vignette
Doris Ann Hall
Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
26th
1953
soubrette
Elizabeth Hess
Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona
27th
1954
transept
William Cashore
Norristown Times Herald
Norristown, Pennsylvania
28th
1955
crustaceology
Sandra Sloss
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis, Missouri
29th
1956
condominium
Melody Sachko
Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
30th
1957
schappe
Dana Bennett†
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
Sandra Owen†
Canton Repository
Canton, Ohio
31st
1958
syllepsis
Jolitta Schlehuber
Topeka Daily Capital
Topeka, Kansas
32nd
1959
catamaran
Joel Montgomery
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
33rd
1960
eudaemonic
Henry Feldman
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
34th
1961
smaragdine
John Capehart
Tulsa Tribune
Tulsa, Oklahoma
35th
1962
esquamulose
Nettie Crawford†
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
Michael Day†
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis, Missouri
36th
1963
equipage
Glen Van Slyke III
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
37th
1964
sycophant
William Kerek
Akron Beacon Journal
Akron, Ohio
38th
1965
eczema
Michael Kerpan Jr.
Tulsa Tribune
Tulsa, Oklahoma
39th
1966
ratoon
Robert A. Wake
Houston Chronicle
Houston, Texas
40th
1967
chihuahua
Jennifer Reinke
The Omaha World-Herald
Omaha, Nebraska
41st
1968
abalone
Robert L. Walters
The Topeka Daily Capital
Topeka, Kansas
42nd
1969
interlocutory
Susan Yoachum
Dallas Morning News
Dallas, Texas
43rd
1970
croissant
Libby Childress
Winston-Salem Journal & Sentinel
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
44th
1971
shalloon
Jonathan Knisely
Philadelphia Bulletin
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
45th
1972
macerate
Robin Kral
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock, Texas
46th
1973
vouchsafe
Barrie Trinkle
Fort Worth Press
Fort Worth, Texas
47th
1974
hydrophyte
Julie Ann Junkin
Birmingham Post-Herald
Birmingham, Alabama
48th
1975
incisor
Hugh Tosteson García
San Juan Star
San Juan, Puerto Rico
49th
1976
narcolepsy
Tim Kneale
Syracuse Herald-Journal
Syracuse, New York
50th
1977
cambist
John Paola
The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
51st
1978
deification
Peg McCarthy
The Topeka Capital-Journal
Topeka, Kansas
52nd
1979
maculature
Katie Kerwin
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
53rd
1980
elucubrate
Jacques Bailly
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
54th
1981
sarcophagus
Paige Pipkin
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
55th
1982
psoriasis
Molly Dieveney
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
56th
1984
Purim
Blake Giddens
El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso, Texas
57th
1984
luge
Daniel Greenblatt
Loudoun Times-Mirror
Leesburg, Virginia
58th
1985
milieu
Balu Natarajan
Chicago Tribune
Chicago , Illinois
59th
1986
odontalgia
Jon Pennington
The Patriot News
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
60th
1987
staphylococci
Stephanie Petit
The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
61st
1988
elegiacal
Rageshree Ramachandran
The Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, California
62nd
1989
spoliator
Scott Isaacs
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
63rd
1990
fibranne
Amy Marie Dimak
The Seattle Times
Seattle, Washington
64th
1991
antipyretic
Joanne Lagatta
Wisconsin State Journal
Clintonville, Wisconsin
65th
1992
lyceum
Amanda Goad
The Richmond News Leader
Richmond, Virginia
66th
1993
kamikaze
Geoff Hooper
The Commercial Appeal
Memphis, Tennessee
67th
1994
antediluvian
Ned G. Andrews
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
68th
1995
xanthosis
Justin Tyler Carroll
The Commercial Appeal
Memphis, Tennessee
69th
1996
vivisepulture
Wendy Guey
The Palm Beach Post
West Palm Beach, Florida
70th
1997
euonym
Rebecca Sealfon
New York Daily News
New York City
71st
1998
chiaroscurist
Jody-Anne Maxwell
Phillips & Phillips Stationery Suppliers
Kingston, Jamaica
72nd
1999
logorrhea
Nupur Lala
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa, Florida
73rd
2000
demarche
George Thampy
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis, Missouri
74th
2001
succedaneum
Sean Conley
Aitkin Independent Age
Aitkin, Minnesota
75th
2002
prospicience
Pratyush Buddiga
Rocky Mountain News
Denver, Colorado
76th
2003
pococurante
Sai Gunturi
Dallas Morning News
Dallas, Texas
77th
2004
autochthonous
David Tidmarsh
South Bend Tribune
South Bend, Indiana
78th
2005
appoggiatura
Anurag Kashyap
San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego, California
79th
2006
Ursprache
Kerry Close
Asbury Park Press /Home News Tribune
Spring Lake, New Jersey
80th
2007
serrefine
Evan O'Dorney
Contra Costa Times
Walnut Creek, California
81st
2008
guerdon
Sameer Mishra
Journal & Courier
West Lafayette, Indiana
82nd
2009
Laodicean
Kavya Shivashankar
The Olathe News
Olathe, Kansas
83rd
2010
stromuhr
Anamika Veeramani
The Plain Dealer
Cleveland, Ohio
84th
2011
cymotrichous
Sukanya Roy
Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
85th
2012
guetapens
Snigdha Nandipati
U-T San Diego
San Diego, California
86th
2013
knaidel
Arvind Mahankali
New York Daily News
New York City
87th
2014
stichomythia
Sriram J. Hathwar†
Corning Rotary Club
Corning, New York
feuilleton
Ansun Sujoe†
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas
88th
2015
scherenschnitte
Vanya Shivashankar†
The Olathe News
Olathe, Kansas
nunatak
Gokul Venkatachalam†
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis, Missouri
89th
2016
Feldenkrais
Jairam Hathwar†
Corning Rotary Club
Corning, New York
gesellschaft
Nihar Saireddy Janga†
Houston Public Media
Austin, Texas
90th
2017
marocain
Ananya Vinay
The Fresno Bee
Fresno, California
91st
2018
koinonia
Karthik Nemmani
Scoggins Middle School
McKinney, Texas
92nd
2019
auslaut
Rishik Gandhasri†
Bay Area Regional Spelling Bee
San Jose, California
erysipelas
Erin Howard†
Adventure Travel
Huntsville, Alabama
bougainvillea
Saketh Sundar†
Howard County Library
Clarksville, Maryland
aiguillette
Shruthika Padhy†
Rosa International Middle School
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
pendeloque
Sohum Sukhatankar†
Dallas Sports Commission
Dallas, Texas
palama
Abhijay Kodali†
Dallas Sports Commission
Flower Mound, Texas
cernuous
Christopher Serrao†
Discover Lehigh Valley
Whitehouse Station, New Jersey
odylic
Rohan Raja†
Dallas Sports Commission
Irving, Texas
93rd
2021
Murraya
Zaila Avant-garde
New Orleans Chapter of the Links
New Orleans, Louisiana
94th
2022
moorhen
Harini Logan
The Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre Association
San Antonio, Texas
95th
2023
psammophile
Dev Shah
SNSB Region One Bee
Largo, Florida
96th
2024
abseil
Bruhat Soma
Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund
St. Petersburg, Florida
Notes
^ Spelled more words correctly in the 90 second spell-off.
References
^ "Spelling Bee: Record eight children win Scripps National in the US" . BBC News . May 31, 2019. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
"History" . Scripps National Spelling Bee . Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
^ Fox, Margalit (March 22, 2011). "Frank Neuhauser, a Speller's Speller, Dies at 97" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
"Gnarled with a "K"" . Time . June 5, 1950. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
"O-R-D-E-A-L in Washington" . Time . June 17, 1957. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
"Spelling Bee Is Called Draw" . Kentucky New Era . June 7, 1962. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
Nuckols, Ben (May 1, 2019). "National Spelling Bee ditches its tiebreaker" . The Columbian . Associated Press . Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
Zimmer, Ben (May 31, 2019). "How Eight Middle Schoolers Toppled the Scripps Spelling Bee" . The Atlantic . Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
Archibold, Randal (May 29, 1998). "Placed in the Shadows By a Chiaroscurist" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
"Jamaican Girl Crowned National Spelling Champ" . CNN . May 28, 1998. Archived from the original on February 13, 2008. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
"Spelling Her Way to Success" . Ebony . Johnson Publishing Company. May 1998. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
^ Basu, Moni (May 29, 2015). "Why South Asians win spelling bees: P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E" . CNN . Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
Garcia, Feliks (May 27, 2016). "National Spelling Bee crowns youngest champion in history" . The Independent . Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
Alicia Lee (April 21, 2020). "National Spelling Bee canceled for the first time since WWII" . CNN . Retrieved May 16, 2020.
^ "About the Bee" . Scripps National Spelling Bee . Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
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