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First Knockouts of Round 6
Fri, May 30, 2008 - 12:10 PM
After five words spelled correctly in a row, the bee has knocked out three spellers in round 6.Easun Arunachalam from near Los Angeles misspelled "cyathifrom."
Matt Gabriele of Ridgefield, Conn., got "phyllorhine" wrong, and Kaitlyn Johnston of Windemere, Florida got "sutache" wrong.
--Neil Simon
ESPN plugging different sports
1:13 p.m.
In case TV viewers of the spelling bee needed a reminder, ESPN has told them that the NBA Eastern Conference finals playoff game between Boston and Detroit will be on tonight.
The spelling bee goes on at primetime on ABC. (Disney owns both networks.) The basketball game is at 8:30.
--Neil Simon
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In case TV viewers of the spelling bee needed a reminder, ESPN has told them that the NBA Eastern Conference finals playoff game between Boston and Detroit will be on tonight.
The spelling bee goes on at primetime on ABC. (Disney owns both networks.) The basketball game is at 8:30.
--Neil Simon
Thomas makes it through
1:05 p.m.
Surprisingly, Tia Thomas struggled with ptarmic in round six. I assumed this would be a giveaway for her. Maybe a momentary brain lapse happened.
Still, watch out for her. She's awfully good.
-Josh Dawsey
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Surprisingly, Tia Thomas struggled with ptarmic in round six. I assumed this would be a giveaway for her. Maybe a momentary brain lapse happened.
Still, watch out for her. She's awfully good.
-Josh Dawsey
45 down to 24. Round 6 underway
1:00 p.m.
Of the 45 spellers who started the semifinals this morning, only 24 remain.
Round 5 nearly cut the group in half.
Round 6 is underway now. ESPN has just announced that the finals (tonight at 8 on ABC) will include "approximately 12" spellers -- note, not a firm number.
--Neil Simon
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Of the 45 spellers who started the semifinals this morning, only 24 remain.
Round 5 nearly cut the group in half.
Round 6 is underway now. ESPN has just announced that the finals (tonight at 8 on ABC) will include "approximately 12" spellers -- note, not a firm number.
--Neil Simon
Round five recap
12:58 p.m.
45 is now 24.
21 spellers were eliminated in round five in this morning's action. While 26 were actually eliminated in five in 2007, 2007's round five started with 59 spellers. Only 45 remained when round five began this morning.
Wow, the bee is beginning six immediately. It'll be interesting to see how the spellers do and whether or not they decide to finish six today or wait until primetime tonight.
-Josh Dawsey
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45 is now 24.
21 spellers were eliminated in round five in this morning's action. While 26 were actually eliminated in five in 2007, 2007's round five started with 59 spellers. Only 45 remained when round five began this morning.
Wow, the bee is beginning six immediately. It'll be interesting to see how the spellers do and whether or not they decide to finish six today or wait until primetime tonight.
-Josh Dawsey
Virginians all Gone
12:56 p.m.
I loved this kid. Lance really was one of my favorites here. He asked his questions with a seriousness and assertiveness that told you he really wanted each word.
But the 12-year-old McLean homeschooler misspelled chevee, a smooth gem with a slightly depressed surface. He had it ending with "et."
--Neil H. Simon
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I loved this kid. Lance really was one of my favorites here. He asked his questions with a seriousness and assertiveness that told you he really wanted each word.
But the 12-year-old McLean homeschooler misspelled chevee, a smooth gem with a slightly depressed surface. He had it ending with "et."
--Neil H. Simon
South Carolinians Cruising
12:47 p.m.
Semifinalists Jackson Crist and Keiko Bridwell aced their first words today.
Crist got maremma, former swampland in western Italy and Bridwell nailed peristeronic, which does not even appear in the online Merriam-Webster abridged dictionary.
--Neil H. Simon
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Semifinalists Jackson Crist and Keiko Bridwell aced their first words today.
Crist got maremma, former swampland in western Italy and Bridwell nailed peristeronic, which does not even appear in the online Merriam-Webster abridged dictionary.
--Neil H. Simon
Another Carolinian moves on
12:50 p.m.
Another South Carolinian, Keiko Bradwell, just nailed peristeronic in round five.
For the first time in decades, two South Carolinians will be in the semifinals.
-Josh Dawsey
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Another South Carolinian, Keiko Bradwell, just nailed peristeronic in round five.
For the first time in decades, two South Carolinians will be in the semifinals.
-Josh Dawsey
Go South Carolina!
12:47 p.m.
Fellow South Carolinian Jackson Crist just dispatched maremma in round five with relative ease.
In previous years, South Carolinians haven't done very well in the spelling bee. If Crist's confident demeanor and strong spelling continues, this trend might be quickly broken.
-Josh Dawsey
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Fellow South Carolinian Jackson Crist just dispatched maremma in round five with relative ease.
In previous years, South Carolinians haven't done very well in the spelling bee. If Crist's confident demeanor and strong spelling continues, this trend might be quickly broken.
-Josh Dawsey
Fenwick Gone
12:41 p.m.
The star of the Winston-Salem Journal is out.
Wearing his same green sweatshirt and his tried and true method of “writing” out the word on the back of his bee placard, Baron Fenwick misspelled exsertile “E-X-C-E-R-T-I-L-E.”
Exsertile is something that is capable of being thrust forth or out.
-Neil Simon
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The star of the Winston-Salem Journal is out.
Wearing his same green sweatshirt and his tried and true method of “writing” out the word on the back of his bee placard, Baron Fenwick misspelled exsertile “E-X-C-E-R-T-I-L-E.”
Exsertile is something that is capable of being thrust forth or out.
-Neil Simon
Potential timing problem
12:42 p.m.
The Bee staff has an interesting decision to make.
If spellers continue to make mistakes, there will be a possibility that round six could begin with under 24 spellers. If the bloodbath trend continues, the Bee could get under 12 spellers before going to primetime tonight.
If the number drops below twelve, the staff will become worried they won't have enough footage to make two hours live tonight on ABC. This won't necessarily become a problem, but it could happen. Another option is to stop round six when there are twelve spellers remaining, but then the spellers previously eliminated would possibly be upset about not being on ABC themselves.
Let's see what they do after this round.
-Josh Dawsey
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The Bee staff has an interesting decision to make.
If spellers continue to make mistakes, there will be a possibility that round six could begin with under 24 spellers. If the bloodbath trend continues, the Bee could get under 12 spellers before going to primetime tonight.
If the number drops below twelve, the staff will become worried they won't have enough footage to make two hours live tonight on ABC. This won't necessarily become a problem, but it could happen. Another option is to stop round six when there are twelve spellers remaining, but then the spellers previously eliminated would possibly be upset about not being on ABC themselves.
Let's see what they do after this round.
-Josh Dawsey
Cholent
12:24 p.m.
I told you I was hungry, and now they’re talking about cholent. I know it’s summer-time outside, but this stew from the old world would still be fine right about now.
Neil Alach, of New York, apparently has not had the traditional Jewish Sabbath meal, or if he has he can’t spell it. Poor guy. Hope someone invites him in for some cholent tomorrow.
--Neil H. Simon
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I told you I was hungry, and now they’re talking about cholent. I know it’s summer-time outside, but this stew from the old world would still be fine right about now.
Neil Alach, of New York, apparently has not had the traditional Jewish Sabbath meal, or if he has he can’t spell it. Poor guy. Hope someone invites him in for some cholent tomorrow.
--Neil H. Simon
Schnecke in 5?
12:27 p.m.
Marshall Winchester was given the word schnecke in round 10 in 2005.
Zachary Zagorski from New York just nailed the word in round five. That's a good indication of how much harder the words are this year than in years past. In fact, many of the other words previously given today were used much later in previous bees.
On another note: It's amazing that when the bee dings and ends a speller's dream, most are still polite enough to say "thank you" and appear genuinely grateful. It's impressive.
-Josh Dawsey
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Marshall Winchester was given the word schnecke in round 10 in 2005.
Zachary Zagorski from New York just nailed the word in round five. That's a good indication of how much harder the words are this year than in years past. In fact, many of the other words previously given today were used much later in previous bees.
On another note: It's amazing that when the bee dings and ends a speller's dream, most are still polite enough to say "thank you" and appear genuinely grateful. It's impressive.
-Josh Dawsey
Favorites continue to shine
12:15 p.m.
Sameer Mishra and Kavya Shivashankar, both considered favorites to win the contest, made it through round five without considerable anxiety. Mishra's word, diener, is seemingly one of the easier words of the round.
Matthew Evans is up next. For Matt's sake, let's hope he doesn't get a French word. They've knocked him out of the bee two years in a row.
-Josh Dawsey
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Sameer Mishra and Kavya Shivashankar, both considered favorites to win the contest, made it through round five without considerable anxiety. Mishra's word, diener, is seemingly one of the easier words of the round.
Matthew Evans is up next. For Matt's sake, let's hope he doesn't get a French word. They've knocked him out of the bee two years in a row.
-Josh Dawsey
Bee-hind the Scenes with ESPN
12:15 p.m.
Ever wonder how ESPN knows exactly how to find each speller’s family just as they appear on stage?
Well, as I left the hall last night I saw ESPN crews had labeled each chair in the first three rows with a number. Each family has four tickets of the same number, which corresponds to their seat location. The photographer simply scoots along the row to keep his camera focused on the right family at the right time.
Just a little bee-hind the scenes for you.
--Neil H. Simon
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Ever wonder how ESPN knows exactly how to find each speller’s family just as they appear on stage?
Well, as I left the hall last night I saw ESPN crews had labeled each chair in the first three rows with a number. Each family has four tickets of the same number, which corresponds to their seat location. The photographer simply scoots along the row to keep his camera focused on the right family at the right time.
Just a little bee-hind the scenes for you.
--Neil H. Simon
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How well can you spell?
Bee Bloggers
Josh Dawsey
Amy Dominello
As an eight-year-old she was traumatized for life when she misspelled the word "mommy" in a spelling bee. In college, it took her three tries to pass a grammar test to get into journalism school.
Somehow, she still managed to snag a job where spelling and grammar count. And as she covers the National Spelling Bee, Amy will obviously have a great deal of empathy for those who struggle in the early rounds.
Neil Simon
He can't remember if he ever competed in a spelling bee, but he likes finding misspelled street signs.
Neil moved to Washington from Albuquerque because it's much easier to spell Washington.
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