Faizan Zaki Wins 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee After Coming in Second in 2024

Published: Friday, May 30, 2025 at 3:27 am

Plano, Texas Teen Triumphs at 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Plano, Texas, has clinched the coveted title of champion at the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. This victory marks a sweet triumph for Zaki, who was the runner-up in the 2024 competition. He secured his win in the 11th round of the finals, correctly spelling the word "claircissement," which means "a clearing up of something obscure."

The 2025 competition, celebrating its 100th year, saw 243 talented young spellers from across the United States and several international locations, including the Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Kuwait, and Nigeria, compete for the Scripps Cup. The week-long event, known as Bee Week, took place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland. Participants navigated four challenging segments: Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals. The competition, broadcast on ION, began on May 27th, with the final round airing on May 29th.

Zaki's victory earns him a $50,000 cash prize from Scripps, along with additional prizes from Merriam-Webster and Encyclopædia Britannica. The competition also highlighted the importance of vocabulary, with a vocabulary round introduced in 2021.

Last year's champion, Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, won by spelling 29 words in a 90-second tiebreaker. His winning word was "abseil."

Keywords: Scripps National Spelling Bee, Faizan Zaki, spelling bee, champion, claircissement, Plano Texas, 2025, Bee Week, finals, Merriam-Webster, Encyclopædia Britannica, Bruhat Soma, abseil, vocabulary round, ION, centennial, competition

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