Tuesday: computerized test (spelling + vocab)Yes, again, the dictates of television and having a manageable group for primetime (remembering the 2010 controversy when the afternoon competition stopped mid-round to have the "right" number of kids for primetime) impose artificial elimination points in the competition. Last year, the final 18 became a final 11 based on the computerized test, while I think the kids would rather see it all settled at the microphone. Yes, judging all the kids on the same set of words leads to slightly-less-arbitrary results, but at that level the results are inherently arbitrary. Oh well.
Wednesday, all day long: everyone has two chances at the microphone. Ding and you're out. The top up-to-50 (based on computerized test) survive to Thursday, but they have to take a computerized test first.
Thursday, 10am: three rounds at the microphone. Top up-to-12 (based on Weds night test) make it to primetime, unless the cutoff would leave them with less than nine, in which case they can (but don't have to) add another tranche of spellers who'd bring the total over 12.
Thursday, 8pm: championship finals.
Friday, May 23, 2014
PREPARATION: Next week's Bee schedule (infographic too) is the same as last year's:
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