Washington, D.C.— In a historic finale to the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki from Allen, Texas, emerged victorious, correctly spelling "éclaircissement" to clinch the championship. The competition, celebrating its 100th anniversary, saw Indian-origin spellers dominate the finals, with seven of the nine finalists sharing South Asian heritage.
Key Facts:
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Champion: Faizan Zaki, 13, from Allen, Texas
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Winning Word: "éclaircissement"
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Prize: $50,000 cash award and the Scripps Cup
The final rounds were intense, with all three remaining contestants—Zaki, Sarvadnya Kadam, and Sarv Dharavane—initially misspelling their words in round 18, leading to a rare reinstatement. Zaki rebounded by correctly spelling "Chaldee" in round 20 and secured his victory with "éclaircissement" in round 21.
Zaki, who has roots in Hyderabad, India, expressed his elation after the win, stating,
"I can't describe it. It's so amazing, getting to this point. Winning? I never expected this."
The dominance of Indian-origin spellers in the Bee continues a trend spanning over three decades, with 30 of the last 36 champions sharing South Asian heritage.
Do You Know? The Scripps National Spelling Bee began in 1925, making this year's competition its 100th anniversary. However, due to interruptions during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the 97th actual competition.
Key Terms:
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Scripps National Spelling Bee: An annual spelling competition in the United States for students up to the eighth grade.
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"éclaircissement": A French word meaning "the clearing up of something obscure; enlightenment."
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Reinstatement: A rare occurrence in the Bee where contestants are brought back into the competition after all remaining spellers misspell their words in the same round.