Dev Shah, the 2023 champion, advocates an artistic approach to spelling — the one also championed by his coach, Scott Remer. Master roots, master language patterns, and learn how to spot the exceptions, and you can spell a word that you’ve never seen or don’t remember.

Feeling stuck on today’s puzzle? We can help. By New York Times Games Hi, busy bees! Welcome to today’s Spelling Bee forum. Enter the comments section to see hints, conversation, helpful tips and creative content from other solvers. There are a number ...

Meet the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee finalists as they get ready to compete for the championship.

Vivaan Chintawar said that when students at Sugarloaf Elementary School need help spelling a word, they don't ask their teacher — they ask him. Chintawar, 11, a fifth-grader at Sugarloaf Elementary,

English — with its hybrid history, its “sun never sets” empire, its American melting pot — just happens to be particularly good at turning spelling into sport. It’s a constant frustration for those learning the language. But at least once a year, it offers delightful puzzles to those competing to have learned it best.

The opposing strategies of Scripps National Spelling Bee finalists have revived a long-running if good-natured debate in spelling circles: Which is more important, mastery of languages or rote memorization?