Trending Now - Shrey Parikh Clinches Victory in 2026 National Spelling Bee

WHO:

CNN - Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The Washington Post - Ishaan Gupta, 12, was the runner-up.

CNN - Sarv Dharavane finished in third place.

CBS News US - The competition featured nearly 250 spellers.

WHAT:

CNN - Shrey Parikh's win set a new spell-off record with 32 correct spellings, surpassing the previous records of 22 words in 2022 and 29 words in 2024.

CNN - Parikh will receive a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster's unabridged online reference book as part of his prizes.

NPR - Parikh expressed excitement about having more free time to pursue hobbies like tennis and math competitions after his win.

CNN - Shrey Parikh's final round of the bee felt like “just another day of spelling,” according to his statement after winning.

NPR - Parikh expressed that he was not excited about the spell-off format, stating, "to be honest, regular spelling I feel like is a much better show of what spelling is meant to be."

NPR - Parikh estimated he spent about five hours a day working on spelling in the past year leading up to the competition.

NPR - Parikh's win set a new spell-off record with 32 correct spellings out of around 35 words.

CNN - Shrey Parikh set a new spell-off record by correctly spelling 32 words in 90 seconds, surpassing the previous records of 22 words in 2022 and 29 words in 2024.

NPR - Parikh will receive flight credits and an astronaut meet-and-greet at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida as part of his prizes.

CNN - Shrey Parikh won the Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling “bromocriptine,” a “polypeptide alkaloid that is a derivative of ergot and mimics the activity of dopamine.”

CNN - Parikh correctly spelled an unprecedented 32 words in 90 seconds during the spell-off.

CNN - Ishaan Gupta, the runner-up, spelled 25 words in the spell-off.

CNN - Shrey Parikh's victory marked his third attempt at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, having previously finished third in 2024 and missing the cut for the national competition the previous year.

CNN - As champion, Shrey Parikh will receive a trip to the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks in addition to his cash prizes and awards.

CNN - Shrey Parikh won the Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling “bromocriptine.”

CNN - Parikh survived 18 regular rounds and a “spell-off” tiebreaker, spelling 32 words in 90 seconds.

The Washington Post - As champion, Shrey Parikh received $50,000, a commemorative medal, the Scripps Cup, $2,500, and a reference library from Merriam-Webster.

CNN - Logan Bailey finished in fifth place.

WHERE:

NPR - The Scripps National Spelling Bee returned to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 15 years, after being held in Maryland and Florida during the COVID pandemic.

NPR - The Scripps National Spelling Bee was held at DAR Constitution Hall, which is located near the White House.

NPR - The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C., marking the first time in 15 years that the competition returned to the city.

The Washington Post - The Scripps National Spelling Bee took place at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington.

WHEN:

The Washington Post - The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee occurred on a Thursday.

WHY:

NPR - The decision to return the competition to Washington, D.C. was made to honor the "prestige and honor that D.C. brings to this experience for spellers," according to Executive Director Corrie Loeffler.

NPR - The decision to return the competition to Washington, D.C. was made to honor the "prestige and honor that D.C. brings to this experience for spellers," as stated by Executive Director Corrie Loeffler.

NPR - Organizers decided to return the competition to Washington, D.C. in its 101st year to honor the "prestige and honor that D.C. brings to this experience for spellers," along with access to the city's free museums and monuments.

HOW:

CNN - The competition included a “spell-off” format introduced in 2021, which has become a trend in recent years.

CNN - Shrey Parikh prepared for the competition by taking six months off from spelling before reopening his Merriam-Webster dictionary.

(UPDATED May 29, 2026 18:03 UTC)

In a remarkable achievement, Shrey Parikh set a new spell-off record by correctly spelling thirty-two words, surpassing the previous records of twenty-two words in 2022 and twenty-nine words in 2024. As part of his prizes, Parikh will receive a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster's unabridged online reference book, and he expressed excitement about having more free time to pursue hobbies like tennis and math competitions. The Scripps National Spelling Bee made its return to Washington, D.C., for the first time in fifteen years, a decision made to honor the prestige and honor that the city brings to this experience for spellers.

(UPDATED May 29, 2026 16:15 UTC)

Shrey Parikh won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, setting a new spell-off record by correctly spelling 32 out of approximately 35 words. After his victory, he described the final round as “just another day of spelling” and expressed a preference for traditional spelling formats over the spell-off style. The competition took place at DAR Constitution Hall near the White House, a location chosen to honor the prestige and honor that Washington, D.C. brings to the experience for spellers, according to Executive Director Corrie Loeffler.

(UPDATED May 29, 2026 12:01 UTC)

Shrey Parikh has set a new spell-off record by correctly spelling thirty-two words in ninety seconds at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which took place in Washington, D.C., marking the first time the competition has returned to the city in fifteen years. Parikh's impressive achievement surpasses the previous records of twenty-two words in 2022 and twenty-nine words in 2024, and he will receive flight credits along with a meet-and-greet with an astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida as part of his prizes. Organizers chose to bring the competition back to D.C. in its 101st year to honor the prestige of the city and provide spellers with access to its free museums and monuments.

(UPDATED May 29, 2026 08:16 UTC)

Shrey Parikh has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling “bromocriptine,” a complex word that mimics the activity of dopamine. In an impressive display of skill, he spelled an unprecedented 32 words in just 90 seconds during the spell-off, while runner-up Ishaan Gupta managed to spell 25 words. This victory marks Parikh's third attempt at the competition, having previously finished third in 2024 and missed the cut the year before, and as champion, he will receive a trip to the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks along with his cash prizes and awards.

(UPDATED May 29, 2026 06:20 UTC)

Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, has emerged victorious in the Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling “bromocriptine” after surviving 18 regular rounds and a tiebreaker. The competition, held at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, featured nearly 250 spellers, with Ishaan Gupta taking second place and Sarv Dharavane finishing third. As the champion, Parikh received a prize package that includes $50,000, a commemorative medal, the Scripps Cup, and a reference library from Merriam-Webster.