Latest news with #éclaircissement
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Scripps National Spelling Bee crowns new champ
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WSAV) — How do you spell success? For the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, it's spelled 'éclaircissement.' The word is French and means 'the clearing up of something obscure: enlightenment.' 13-year-old Faizan Zaki from Allen, Texas, beat out eight others in the final round before successfully spelling it to win. 'It was just so amazing. I mean when I heard the word, I instantly knew it. I recognized it was from French and when they said it was correct, I was just so elated and happy that I got it right.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Texas seventh-grader wins National Spelling Bee after dramatic twist left audience gasping
A seventh-grade student has won the National Spelling Bee after a dramatic twist left the audience gasping. Faizan Zaki, from Allen, Texas, clinched the title after 21 rounds of spelling with the deciding word being 'éclaircissement' - a French-derived word meaning 'enlightenment.' The 13-year-old was showered in confetti before lifting the ceramic trophy aloft. 'I don't even know what I'm going to say. I'm just really happy,' he shared. But his victory came after a dramatic twist where all three finalists misspelled their words in the same round. The rare moment led to the entire group being reinstated in the competition and set the stage for an unforgettable comeback by Faizan. The season competitor, who was the runner-up last year, had stumbled in Round 18 on the word 'commelina.' He began with 'K-A-M...' but quickly halted when he realized his error. 'Oh, okay, let me think, let me think. All the information,' Faizan said, before conceding, 'Oh, shoot.' Remarkably, his fellow finalists - Sarvadnya Kadam from California and Sarv Dharavane from Georgia - also missed their words in the same round. The shocking triple miss prompted the judges to reinstate all three contestants, eliciting excited gasps and applause from the audience at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. After the close call, Faizan approached the next rounds with renewed focus before taking home the title. Reflecting on his win, he shared: 'I really hoped I would get first. But I didn't want to say I would. The spelling bee can really be all about luck.' Faizan, who was competing against more than 240 applicants, first appeared at the Scripps national championships when he was just seven years old. He has been a regular face since - often practicing up to eight hours a day, focusing on vocabulary and speed. Faizan, who was competing against more than 240 applicants, first appeared at the Scripps national championships when he was just seven years old 'From first grade to fourth grade, I thought I'll just do this for fun,' Faizan said. 'But then since I got second, a lot of people were expecting me to get first this year. 'And I was too engrossed in the whole process of studying to really think about if I actually win.' After his recent win, Faizan is now the 17th champion from Texas - which is more than any other state.
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
What was the winning word at this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee?
Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Texas, took top prize at this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee. Faizan, who came in second at the 2024 spelling bee, was all smiles as he spelled the winning word: éclaircissement.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Teen from Allen, Texas wins Scripps National Spelling Bee with 'eclaircissement'
No éclaircissement was needed after 13-year-old Faizan Zaki triumphed in the 21st round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The teen collapsed on the floor with excitement after correctly spelling "éclaircissement" and securing the national title — not to mention a trophy and $50,000. Zaki's win also coincided with a major milestone: the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. When spelling the "M-E-N-T" in "éclaircissement," Zaki, who hails from Allen, Texas, was understandably thrilled after coming in second place at last year's competition behind Bruhat Soma, who was 12 years old when he took home the trophy. However, his victory didn't come without drama — Zaki nearly lost in round 18 when asked to spell "commelina." Zaki started saying "K-A-M" before stopping himself and telling head judge Mary Brooks to "just ring the bell," which she did. Zaki got another shot after 14-year-old Sarvadnya Kadam misspelled "Uaupes" in round 20 — paving the way for his win with "éclaircissement." In a post on X congratulating the 13-year-old, the Scripps National Spelling Bee wrote that Zaki "left everything on stage." "He's the GOAT. I actually believe that. He's really good, man. He's been doing it for so long, and he knows the dictionary in and out," Zaki's father, Said Zaki Anwar told ESPN. Zaki's win was notable not only for the final word and the Bee's centennial, but also because it marked the first time in nearly 25 years that a former runner-up returned to win the title. According to ESPN, the last person to do so was Sean Conley, who was the 2001 champion. Zaki and Conley are members of an extremely exclusive club with just five members total from the event's 100 years. The final three in the 2025 competition also included 11-year-old Sarv Dharavane, who would have been the competition's youngest champion since Nihar Janga, who won in 2016. Zaki's stumble over "commelina" and subsequent comeback are not the first examples of drama at the spelling bee. This children's competition has produced a surprising number of historic moments. In 2019, the spelling bee's results were arguably some of the most controversial, as the competition ended with the only eight-way tie in the Scripps National Spelling Bee's history.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The moment Faizan Zaki,13, wins US National Spelling Bee crown by spelling éclaircissement
The 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, who lost in a lightning-round tiebreaker last year, outlasted eight other accomplished spellers to win the title. Told to take a deep breath before his final word, 'éclaircissement,' he collapsed to the stage after saying the final letter.
