--- title: Scripps National Spelling Bee: Words From First Bee in 1925 description: As the Scripps National Spelling Bee continues, see if you know the words that stumped the finalists the first year the contest was held. canonical: https://time.com/4798898/first-national-spelling-bee-words/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-31T16:07:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:44:01.588Z article:section: History og:title: Scripps National Spelling Bee: Words From First Bee in 1925 og:description: The winning word was a type of flower og:url: https://time.com/4798898/first-national-spelling-bee-words/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta09478c40ae6784b/6988cf8a0a4a22e5109ce64b/dictionary.jpeg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Spelling Bee Dictionary og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Scripps National Spelling Bee: Words From First Bee in 1925 twitter:description: The winning word was a type of flower twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta09478c40ae6784b/6988cf8a0a4a22e5109ce64b/dictionary.jpeg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # These Words Stumped the Finalists at the First National Spelling Bee in 1925  by [Olivia B. Waxman](/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer May 31, 2017 4:07 PM CUT  A judge uses a dictionary to confirm a word at The Denver Post 72nd Annual Colorado State Spelling Bee at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver on Mar. 10, 2012. A judge uses a dictionary to confirm a word at The Denver Post 72nd Annual Colorado State Spelling Bee at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver on Mar. 10, 2012.Kathryn Scott Osler — Denver Post / Getty Images  by [Olivia B. Waxman](/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer May 31, 2017 4:07 PM CUT In the years since 11-year-old Frank Neuhauser correctly spelled _gladiolus_ (a type of flower) during the first [National Spelling Bee](http://time.com/4692317/scripps-spelling-bee-edith-fuller/ "undefined") on June 17, 1925, the [tournament](http://time.com/4347515/scripps-national-spelling-bee-quiz/ "undefined") has blossomed into a much-watched annual [tradition](http://time.com/4350445/national-spelling-bee-2016-dab-running-man-challenge/ "undefined"). That also means [the words have gotten harder](http://www.kgun9.com/news/spelling-bee/the-national-spelling-bee-words-are-getting-harder-every-year "undefined") (hello, “[gesellschaft](http://time.com/4350445/national-spelling-bee-2016-dab-running-man-challenge/ "undefined")[“](http://www.kgun9.com/news/spelling-bee/the-national-spelling-bee-words-are-getting-harder-every-year "undefined")), as the Internet has made it easier to look up words and, thanks in part to a prime broadcast slot on ESPN, competition has gotten more intense. So what were the spellers asked to spell the very first time around? A spokesperson for Scripps National Spelling Bee tells TIME that they do not have any records of the full list of words from 1925; though [a list of winning words exists](http://spellingbee.com/champions-and-their-winning-words "undefined"), the organization has only started keeping track of full word lists over the last decade. However, the words that knocked out the 1925 finalists were[ listed by TIME the following week.](http://time.com/vault/issue/1925-06-29/page/26/ "undefined") Here they are: --- > “” --- That $500 prize in 1925 would be the equivalent of a little more than $7,000 now, adjusted for inflation. Today’s first-place winner is awarded[ $40,000 cash, among other prizes.](http://spellingbee.com/prizes "undefined") For anyone wondering what becomes of America’s top spellers after those 15 minutes of fame, TIME’s History section caught up last year with[ eight former champions](http://time.com/4344080/scripps-national-spelling-bee-winners-where-are-they-now/ "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4798898/first-national-spelling-bee-words/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4798898/first-national-spelling-bee-words/"},"headline":"These Words Stumped the Finalists at the First National Spelling Bee in 1925","datePublished":"2017-05-31T16:07:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:44:01.588Z","description":"Plus, read TIME's original 1925 coverage of the event","url":"https://time.com/4798898/first-national-spelling-bee-words/","keywords":["Education","Newsfeed"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta09478c40ae6784b/6988cf8a0a4a22e5109ce64b/dictionary.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Olivia B. 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