RULES
- All words will be pronounced and defined according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
- For each word, the emcee will pronounce a word, give the definition, use the word in a sentence, and pronounce the word again prior to spellers’ responses. The clock starts as soon as the emcee finishes the sequence.
- Teams may not use phones, computers, or any sort of reference materials during the Spelling Bee.
- There will be three judges. The decisions of the judges are final. There will be no appeals.
COMPETITION FORMAT
Standard Rounds
Each team will have 30 seconds to spell each word by writing it on a whiteboard distributed to the team.
All teams must immediately stop writing when the timer sounds, and the emcee directs the teams to show the spelled word.
- Any team that does not hold up its board when the timer sounds will be considered as misspelling the word.
- Any team continuing to write after time is called or attempting to change the word as written on the board will be counted as misspelling a word.
- If the word is illegible or if the letters are ambiguous, the word will be treated as misspelled.
If a word is misspelled, the team is eliminated from the competition unless the team (or a supporter) purchases a buyback (costing $50, $75, or $100) before the beginning of the next word. There is a maximum of three buybacks per team during the competition.
Eliminated teams are encouraged to continue to engage in the competition by showing their verbal support for another team (without helping them spell!) or writing messages on whiteboards to share with spectators.
Championship Round
When two teams remain, the competition will transition to the Championship Round. This round will be conducted in an individual oral spelling format with a 30-second time limit per word.
The final 8 participants will line up at the microphone – alternating by team – and will be challenged with one word at a time. The participant will pronounce the word, spell it, and repeat it to signify they have completed their spelling.
When a participant spells a word correctly within the 30-second timeframe, they will move to the end of the line. When a participant misspells a word (or fails to complete the spelling of a word in 30 seconds), they are eliminated from the competition.
If all four participants from one team are eliminated while more than one participant from the other team still stands, the team with spellers remaining will be declared the winner.
If the competition ends in a 1:1 spell-off between one remaining speller from each team, there will be no more than 5 rounds. If a finalist misspells a word, the other finalist has a chance to spell the same word, and if they spell it correctly, that team wins!
If, after 5 rounds, there is no clear winner, the competition will be declared a tie, and the two winning teams will share the title and prize of Smart Start Adult Spelling Bee Champion.
