--- 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: 2026-10-08T09:04:50.048Z 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=1200&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=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:50 video:published: 2015-05-27 section: video topics: Scripps National Spelling Bee, spelling competitions, child contestants, bee champions, Jacques Bailly, 2014 co-champions, first champion, origin of the term spelling bee, preliminaries and finals, Gaylord National Resort genre: explainer, trivia tones: lighthearted, informative, playful, energetic emotions: amusement (medium), anxiety (medium), excitement (medium), disappointment (low) sentiment: positive audience: general audience, families, students, spelling bee fans, trivia enthusiasts people: Jacques Bailly, Frank Neuhauser, Ansun Sujoe, Sriram Hathwar organizations: Scripps, Scripps National Spelling Bee transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # These Words Stumped the Finalists at the First National Spelling Bee in 1925 > Sponsored content. 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Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=8fb501c7-f688-486b-b1d2-b451e5a66f83&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=8fb501c7-f688-486b-b1d2-b451e5a66f83&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Spellbinding Facts From Scripps Spelling Bee's Past [Watch (HLS stream): Spellbinding Facts From Scripps Spelling Bee's Past](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/QKCEBn81.m3u8) (1:50)  _Published 2015-05-27. The Scripps National Spelling Bee inevitably ends in agony — and a ding — for so many young spellers. But they came a long way to get to this level._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video offers a brief overview of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, covering the scale of the competition and the path contestants take to reach the national event. It describes where the national bee is held and the rounds spellers must pass through. It introduces the official pronouncer and notes past champions, including the first winner and the two co-champions of 2014. It closes with what Scripps says about the origin of the term "spelling bee." ## Key points - Contestants who reach the national level have outspelled more than 10 million other children after passing local and regional levels. (00:36) - The national spelling bee is held each year at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center south of Washington D.C. (00:53) - At the national event, spellers must get through preliminaries, semi-finals, and finals. (00:59) - Jacques Bailly is the official pronouncer of the Bee and was its champion as a child in 1980. (01:08) - The first champion was Frank Neuhauser of Louisville, who in 1925 correctly spelled gladiolus for the win. (01:14) - In 2014 there were two champions, Ansun Sujoe and Sriram Hathwar, who correctly spelled the entire 25-word list and ended in a tie. (01:21) - Sujoe's last word was feuilleton, while Hathwar correctly spelled stichomythia. (01:29) - Scripps says no one is sure why it is called a spelling bee; the reference was first documented in 1875 but was likely used orally earlier. (01:37) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:36] Introduction to the spelling bee season. The video introduces the televised Scripps National Spelling Bee and the agony and excitement that come with competing. - [00:36 to 01:08] The path to the national competition. It explains how contestants outspell millions of children, where the national bee is held, and the rounds spellers face. - [01:08 to 01:37] Pronouncer and notable champions. It introduces pronouncer Jacques Bailly and recounts the first champion and the 2014 tie. - [01:37 to 01:50] Origin of the name spelling bee. It notes that Scripps is unsure why the event is called a spelling bee and cites the 1875 reference. ## Key quotes - [00:07] narrator: "The Scripps National Spelling Bee inevitably ends in agony and a ding for so many young spellers." - [00:39] narrator: "the contestants have outspelled more than 10 million other children." - [01:08] narrator: "The man you'll hear from most often is Jacques Bailly, the official pronouncer of the Bee" - [01:21] narrator: "2014 saw two champions, both Ansun Sujoe and Sriram Hathwar correctly spelled the entire 25 word spelling list to end in a tie." - [01:37] narrator: "Scripts says no one is quite sure why it is called a spelling bee." ## Questions this video answers - How many children do national spelling bee contestants outspell to reach the national level? [00:36] - Where is the Scripps National Spelling Bee held each year? [00:53] - What rounds do spellers go through at the national bee? [00:59] - Who was the first ever spelling bee champion and what word did he spell? [01:14] - What happened in the 2014 spelling bee? [01:21]  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer May 31, 2017 4:07 PM UTC The Scripps National Spelling Bee inevitably ends in agony — and a ding — for so many young spellers. But they came a long way to get to this level.  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer May 31, 2017 4:07 PM UTC 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/) on June 17, 1925, the [tournament](http://time.com/4347515/scripps-national-spelling-bee-quiz/) has blossomed into a much-watched annual [tradition](http://time.com/4350445/national-spelling-bee-2016-dab-running-man-challenge/). 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) (hello, “[gesellschaft](http://time.com/4350445/national-spelling-bee-2016-dab-running-man-challenge/)[“](http://www.kgun9.com/news/spelling-bee/the-national-spelling-bee-words-are-getting-harder-every-year)), 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), 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/) 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) 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/). ## Transcript [00:00] So begins that strange time of year when we all tune in to [00:03] TVs to watch the spoken work. More than that, the spelled [00:07] work. The Scripps National Spelling Bee inevitably ends in [00:10] agony and a ding for so many young spellers. [ NOISE ] [00:12] Doh! All [00:17] of them fighting to be that one verbose victor, if you will. [00:20] E- U- O- N- Y- M euonym! The [00:29] celebrations end The pressure leading up to them were [00:32] often admittedly over the top but to be fair, so are the steps [00:36] these kids took to get to this level of competition. Once [00:39] they've made it past their local and regional levels, the [00:42] contestants have outspelled more than 10 million other [00:45] children. As you can see at this level, the words quickly get [00:48] harder. I was a nervous wreck. [ LAUGH ] So I love my [00:51] baby to death so I had to walk out. I couldn't even stand [00:53] inside. But the national spelling be is held each year at the [00:56] Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center south of [00:59] Washington D. C. Once they reach this spot, spellers have [01:02] to make it through preliminaries, semi- finals, and finals. [01:05] Bio- illogicality. [01:08] The man you'll hear from most often is Jacques Bailly, the [01:11] official pronouncer of the Bee, and it's champion when he [01:14] was a child in 1980. The first ever champion was Frank [01:17] Neuhauser. From Louisville, who in 1925 correctly spelled [01:21] gladiolus for the win. 2014 saw two champions, both Ansun [01:24] Sujoe and Sriram Hathwar correctly spelled the entire [01:29] 25 word spelling list to end in a tie. Sujoe's last word [01:33] was feuilleton. While Hathwar correctly spelled [01:37] stichomythia. Scripts says no one is quite sure why it is [01:40] called a spelling bee. The reference was first documented [01:43] in 1875 though Script says it was likely used orally well [01:47] before that. ```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":"2026-10-08T09:04:50.048Z","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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