Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion
The word list for the Scripps National Spelling Bee is crafted by a panel of 21 people, including five former Scripps champions
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The word list for the Scripps National Spelling Bee is crafted by a panel of 21 people, including five former Scripps champions
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
As the final pre-competition meeting of the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s word selection panel stretches into its seventh hour, the pronouncers no longer seem to care. For decades, the word panel’s work has been a closely guarded secret. This year, Scripps — a Cincinnati-based media company — granted The Associated Press exclusive access to the panelists and their pre-bee meeting, with the stipulation that The AP would not reveal words unless they were cut from the list.
The word list for the Scripps National Spelling Bee is crafted by a panel of 21 people, including five former Scripps champions
This year’s meeting includes five full-time bee staffers and 16 contract panelists. The positions are filled via word of mouth within the spelling community or recommendations from panelists.