Watch: Moment 14-year-old wins US national spelling bee

A teenager from California has won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, after days of fierce competition.

Scripps Spelling Bee 2026 Takeaways: Shrey Parikh Wins in Spell-Off

The competition came down to a spell-off. Contestants were eliminated early, and a sixth grader became a crowd favorite.

By Maria Cramer

Can you spell like a champ? The national bee’s pronouncer tests your skills.

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By Brittany Shammas, Joe Fox, Hannah Good

California teen Shrey Parikh wins National Spelling Bee in dramatic tiebreaker

Parikh, 14, beats Ishaan Gupta in spell-off Favorite gets 32 words right in tiebreaker Shrey Parikh felt the pressure of arriving at the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a favorite, but his confidence showed every time he got a word he knew. And when the bee came down to a lightning-round tiebreaker against Ishaan Gupta, Shrey left no doubt. Shrey turned a tense, high-quality final into a blowout Thursday night, racing through the 90-second “spell-off” and getting 32 words right to be crown...

By Agencies

Shrey Parikh, 14, wins the Scripps Spelling Bee after a nail-biting 'spell-off'

This is the 101st year of the national spelling competition, and the third time it's been decided by a rapid-fire "spell-off" since the practice was introduced in 2021

By Rachel Treisman

14-year-old Californian wins Scripps National Spelling Bee in lightning-round tiebreaker

Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from California, won a tense tiebreaker to take the title at this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee, becoming the best young speller in the English language.

Shrey Parikh wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee, beating Ishaan Gupta in lightning round

Shrey Parikh has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, beating Ishaan Gupta in a lightning-round tiebreaker

By Ben Nuckols

Who is Shrey Parikh? The Indian-origin teen who won America’s biggest spelling bee

Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old Indian-origin student from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after a dramatic spell-off against Ishaan Gupta of New Jersey. The contest featured 18 rounds over three days and ended in a rapid 90-second tiebreaker where Shrey spelled 32 words correctly. His victory continues a strong Indian-origin presence in the competition. The final, held in Washington DC, tested speed, accuracy, and composure under pressure.

By TOI Education

California teen wins National Spelling Bee with ‘bromocriptine’ - The Straits Times

California teen wins National Spelling Bee with ‘bromocriptine’  The Straits Times

Ghana and Nigeria shine on global stage at 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, USA

Four young spellers from Ghana and Nigeria delivered inspiring performances at the ongoing 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States, marking another significant milestone in Africa’s growing presence on the global academic stage. The participation of both countries was facilitated by Young Educators Foundation /Africa (YEF/A), a not-for-profit committed to promoting literacy, and creating […]

By Charles Nixon