Super Speller

On May 29, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, became the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee champ. Faizan’s winning word was éclaircissement, a French word that means “clarification.” When Faizan spelled it correctly, he pumped his fists and fell dramatically to the stage (see photo below).

This year was the 100th anniversary of the Scripps bee. Nearly 250 spellers from all over the globe competed in the event, which took place from May 27 to May 29. The competitors ranged in age from 8 to 14. Faizan first competed in 2019, when he was 7, and qualified again in 2023. In 2024, he came in second place after losing a lightning-round tiebreaker. This year, he took home the trophy.

Faizan falls to the ground after winning in the 21st round of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Faizan is known for his casual, fun-loving approach to spelling competitions. “I decided to have fun with this bee, and I did well, and here I am,” he told the Associated Press.

The teen had three coaches: Scott Remer, Sam Evans, and Sohum Sukhatankar. “He’s having a good time,” Evans says, “and he’s doing what he loves, which is spelling.”

Faizan took home the winner’s prize of $52,500, adding to his 2024 second-place winnings of $25,000. Last year, he splurged on a $1,500 Rubik’s cube with 21 squares on each side. This time, he plans to donate a chunk of his winnings to charity.