the word explorer

45 Finalists prepare to take the stage.

Dr. Sietsema is the Associate Pronouncer and etymology guru for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I want his job one day!

There were reserved seats for spellers’ families in the front of the ballroom.

The Finals started this morning at 10:00 a.m. and were broadcasted on ESPN2. 45 spellers took the stage until only 10 were left. Round 4 was grueling and the bell was rung many times. Unfortunately, I was eliminated in Round 4 for incorrectly spelling bakshaish, an antique Persian rug with angular designs. Oecophorid, salele, tibourbou, zwitterion, bouleuterion, and jacopever were some of the other words included in Round 4.

Round 5 began with 21 spellers. Some especially difficult words in Round 5 were ocypode, Liechtenstein, noncompos, Nabokovian, glaucothoe, and pochoir. By the end of the round, only 17 spellers remained.

Not very many spellers were eliminated in Round 6, but caliginous, pesante, and monture were troublesome and eliminated 3 spellers. Round 7 started with 14 spellers. The most difficult words in this round were quinton, dulia, somma, and campagnol.

Tonight at 8:00 p.m., the top ten spellers will compete live on ESPN until a champion is declared. Good luck to all of the remaining finalists!