10 Shocking Facts About The 2025 National Spelling Bee And Its 100th Anniversary Champion

The National Spelling Bee remains one of America's most intense academic competitions, a true test of linguistic mastery and mental fortitude. As of today, December 11, 2025, the most recent and highly celebrated event was the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which marked a monumental milestone: its 100th anniversary.

This historic competition culminated in a dramatic final round, crowning a new champion who overcame the pressure of the centennial stage and a controversial tiebreaker format. The 2025 Bee was not just a spelling contest; it was a celebration of a century of American educational excellence and a showcase for the world's most talented young spellers.

The 2025 Champion: Faizan Zaki's Biography and Winning Moment

The 97th Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in 2025, concluded with the victory of a remarkable young speller who had come agonizingly close to the title the year before. Here is a detailed look at the champion.

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• Full Name: Faizan Zaki
• Age: 13 years old
• Hometown: Allen, Texas
• School: C.M. Rice Middle School
• Grade Level: 7th Grade
• National Bee History: This was Zaki's fourth time participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. He finished in second place in the 2024 competition, losing in the intense Spell-off round to Bruhat Soma.
• Winning Word: "éclaircissement"
• Winning Word Definition: A French loanword meaning "the clearing up or elucidation of a matter."
• Winning Round: The 21st round of the competition.
• Prize: Over $50,000 in cash and prizes, including the coveted Scripps Cup trophy.
• Significance: Zaki's victory secured his place as the champion of the Bee's 100th-anniversary event, a truly historic achievement.

Faizan Zaki, an Indian-American speller, clinched the title by correctly spelling the difficult French term "éclaircissement." His victory was particularly poignant, as he had narrowly missed the championship in 2024. His return to the National Harbor, Maryland, location and subsequent win is an inspiring story of perseverance and dedication.

The 100-Year Milestone: Facts and Figures of the Centennial Bee

The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee was a landmark event, celebrating a full century since the competition's founding in 1925. This centennial celebration brought with it a renewed focus on the history and evolution of the Bee.

1. A Century of Spelling Excellence

The very first National Spelling Bee was held on June 17, 1925. It featured only nine participants, a stark contrast to the modern competition. The 2025 Bee, celebrating the 100th anniversary, hosted a total of 243 spellers, representing a diverse group of academic talent from across the United States and the world.

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2. The Reign of Indian-American Champions

Faizan Zaki's 2025 win continues a remarkable trend in the competition's recent history. Since 1999, a disproportionately high number of Scripps National Spelling Bee champions have been of Indian-American descent. This phenomenon is often attributed to the community's intense focus on academic achievement and the establishment of dedicated coaching programs.

3. The Evolution of the Winning Word

The winning words have evolved significantly over the decades, reflecting a growing difficulty. While early winning words were relatively common, such as "gladiolus" (1925) or "knack" (1946), modern champions must master obscure words from various linguistic origins. "Éclaircissement," Zaki's winning word, is a perfect example of the high-level French and German loanwords now common in the finals.

Rule Changes and Controversies That Defined the Latest Competition

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is not immune to public debate, and the 2025 event was preceded by significant discussions about the rules, particularly the tiebreaker, and the inclusion of certain words in study materials. These elements add a layer of drama and complexity to the competition.

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4. The Spell-Off Format: A Necessary Evil?

The "Spell-off" is a rapid-fire tiebreaker introduced to ensure a single winner, a response to the controversial eight-way tie in 2019. In 2024, the top two spellers, including Faizan Zaki, were sent directly into the Spell-off without a traditional head-to-head spelling duel, a move that drew public criticism for its abruptness.

In response to the backlash, the Scripps organization tweaked the rules for 2025. The new rules aimed to ensure that the traditional spelling rounds were exhausted before resorting to the Spell-off, making the 2025 final a more traditional, yet still intensely competitive, event. The Spell-off requires spellers to correctly spell as many words as possible in a 90-second period.

5. The 'Womyn' Word Controversy

A minor but notable controversy arose when the Scripps National Spelling Bee faced criticism for including the non-standard, feminist spelling of "women" as "womyn" in its study materials for third-grade students. This inclusion sparked debate about the role of the competition in validating non-traditional spellings. Scripps defended the inclusion, noting that the word is documented in some dictionaries, which form the basis of the Bee's word list.

6. The True Test: Vocabulary and Spelling

The modern Bee is not just about spelling; it also includes a vocabulary component, where spellers must correctly identify the definition of a word. This dual-skill requirement ensures that champions possess a deep and comprehensive understanding of the English language, moving beyond rote memorization. The preparation guide, known as "Words of the Champions," is the essential study tool for all aspiring spellers.

7. The Longest Bee in History

While the 2025 Bee was a single-winner event, the 2019 competition holds the record for the longest and most dramatic final. After exhausting the dictionary of challenge words, the Bee ended with an unprecedented eight co-champions, leading directly to the creation of the Spell-off tiebreaker rules to prevent a recurrence.

How to Win the National Spelling Bee: The Path to the Scripps Cup

Winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee requires more than just a good memory; it demands a strategic, multi-year approach to language mastery. The path for a speller like Faizan Zaki is a testament to this rigorous process.

8. Mastering Orthography and Etymology

The most successful spellers, including the 2025 champion, focus heavily on etymology—the origin and history of words. By understanding the root languages (Greek, Latin, French, German, etc.), spellers can logically deduce the spelling of unfamiliar words. For instance, knowing French orthography is crucial for words like "éclaircissement."

9. The Regional Qualifier Gauntlet

The National Spelling Bee is the final stage of a massive, multi-tiered competition. To reach the national level, a speller must first win their school bee, then their local or regional qualifier, which can involve thousands of students. The regional sponsors, often local newspapers or educational organizations, play a vital role in funding and organizing the initial stages of the competition.

10. The E.W. Scripps Company Legacy

The competition is officially named the Scripps National Spelling Bee because it is administered and sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company, a major American media conglomerate. Their long-standing sponsorship ensures the continuity and prestige of the event, which awards substantial scholarships and prizes to the top finishers.

The 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, with its centennial celebration and the inspiring win of Faizan Zaki, proved that the competition remains a powerful cultural fixture. It continues to inspire millions of students to delve deep into the intricacies of the English language, ensuring that the tradition of the American spelling bee will thrive for another hundred years.