The Scripps National Spelling Bee had its toughest day of competition with the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds
When Achyut Ethiraj's final appearance in the Scripps National Spelling Bee ended far earlier than he anticipated, the 14-year-old grimaced at the microphone, walked off the stage quietly and exited the ballroom with his mother's arm draped around his back. Achyut had plenty of company among the more than 100 spellers eliminated on Wednesday, spelling's saddest day.
This year, he tied with another speller in 60th place, alongside the 89 others eliminated in the round. “My rank has been going lower. But the reality is my preparation has been increasing a lot,” Achyut said. “And I don't know how that matches up, but I know that I know the words and I deserve a good break.” He has plenty of company. Spellers who place high expectations on themselves based on past performance often fall short.
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