Overview
- Preliminaries have concluded and quarterfinal rounds are underway Wednesday as organizers narrow the field toward televised semifinals and finals.
- Scripps moved the three-day Bee back to DAR Constitution Hall to give spellers closer access to the city’s museums and monuments, a change the organization says will enrich the contestant experience.
- Semifinals and finals will air on ION and other Scripps channels with Mina Kimes serving as the television host for the later rounds.
- This year’s field includes 247 spellers from all 50 states, U.S. territories and several countries, with about two-thirds making their first national appearance and returning contenders such as Sarv Dharavane among the favorites.
- The contest follows multi-stage preliminaries, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals with a possible timed “spell-off” tiebreaker and awards a first-place prize package of roughly $52,500 in cash plus reference works and travel credits.