Everything you need to know about the 2022 Scripps Spelling Bee

The 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee began on Tuesday, with over 200 spellers gathering in Washington D.C to compete for glory. The opening round thinned the group to 162, and there was plenty of drama.

This year marked the first time in three years the bee returned in earnest due to the pandemic, and with a leaner field designed to mitigate risks, the words were absolutely brutal. Typically the opening rounds pitch a few softballs, but not in 2022 with spellers getting eliminated on words like “piloncillo,” “outré” and “tsukupin.”

Here’s what you need to know if you’re picking up on the bee starting now.

We have reached the semi finals, which will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. The event began with 234 spellers on Tuesday, with the majority eliminated in the opening two rounds.

Wednesday started with the quarter finals, wrapping up early this afternoon. This set the stage for where we’re at now. One of the remaining 42 spellers will take home the prize.

The champion will win $50,000 from Scripps, $2,500 from Merriam-Webster as well as a reference library. In addition Encyclopedia Britannica is giving the champion a $400 set of books.

However, even if you’re not the grand champion, there’s plenty to spell for. Everyone who makes the final on Thursday night will earn at least $2,000 with the runner-up winning $25,000.

Of course this is subjective, but here are some examples of the words from the quarter finals that even seasoned spellers struggled with the most.

In short: These kids are way smarter than most of us when it comes to words.

Unlike past years, the bee is not being aired on ESPN. Instead the event will be airing on ION, with the following times. It also airs via live stream at SpellingBee.com.