From News Dispatches
National Harbor, MD: A year after his heartbreaking runner-up finish, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki of Allen, Texas, emerged victorious in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, held Thursday in National Harbor, Maryland. His winning word, éclaircissement—which means “the clearing up of something obscure”—sealed his emotional redemption and earned him the coveted national title.
Zaki, a seventh-grader, competed against eight other finalists and demonstrated grace, focus, and resilience throughout the intense competition. After correctly spelling the final word without requesting its definition or origin, he dropped to the stage floor in joy as confetti rained from above. “I don’t know what to say. I’m just really happy,” Zaki said, overwhelmed by the moment.
His victory capped off a multi-year journey at the Bee. He previously placed 370th in 2019, rose to 21st in 2023, and finished second in 2024. The final rounds this year nearly repeated the heartbreak of last year. With two competitors—Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane—misspelling their words in round 18, Zaki had a clear path to victory. However, he misspoke the first few letters of “commelina” without pausing for clarifications, allowing his rivals to reenter the competition. Dharavane remarked, “This is surprising,” summing up the sudden twist.
But fate ultimately favored Zaki. Both Kadam and Dharavane faltered again in subsequent rounds, giving Zaki one last shot. When asked to spell éclaircissement, longtime Bee pronouncer Jacques Bailly encouraged everyone to take a deep breath. “That did not help at all,” Zaki quipped, drawing laughter from the audience before flawlessly spelling the word that brought him the championship.
As this year marked the 100th anniversary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the stakes were even higher. From an original group of just nine contestants in 1925, the Bee has grown significantly—243 spellers participated this year, most of whom were first-timers.
Zaki’s rewards include a $50,000 cash prize from Scripps, the Scripps Cup trophy, $2,500 and a reference library from Merriam-Webster, $400 in books from Encyclopædia Britannica, $1,000 in Scholastic Dollars for the school of his choice, and a five-year News-O-Matic subscription for that school.
Runner-up Sarvadnya Kadam earned $25,000, while second runner-up Sarv Dharavane received $15,000.
For Zaki, éclaircissement wasn’t just a word—it was the moment his perseverance paid off.
