Wednesday, June 2, 2010

FROM THE SECOND TSUNAMI ALBUM (THANK YOU, JENNY TOOMEY!), IT'S THE RAPID REITERATION OF A MUSICAL TONE: Today, the 273 spellers will begin their competition with the computerized round. At assigned times throughout the day, they'll be given a set list of fifty words to spell, typing their answers -- with pronunciations and the like being made available. Of those fifty, a preselected list of twenty-five will count for the competition, and as the Rules make clear a speller will be disqualified if "prior to the conclusion of the preliminaries on June 3, [he or she] discloses any portion of the Round One test content to a Web site or individual, including a parent or legal guardian."

So don't leak it to us. Competitors will receive one point for each word spelled correctly of the 25, and then tomorrow each gets two trips to the microphone worth three points each, and if it's like last year it's one round of smiling and success in front of the parents (posts 1, 2) and then something of an abattoir of young hopes. From there, "Spellers' scores are plotted on a chart. Beginning at 31 on the chart, spellers at each consecutive scoring level are added until a sum of no more than 50 spellers has been attained. All remaining spellers are eliminated. All spellers eliminated prior to the semifinals are tied for the same place."

In the meantime, from the archives are our summaries of the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 written/computerized rounds for your amusement. And one more coverage note: we're thrilled to share the news that 2008 finalist Cat Cojocaru will be back again to lend her insight this week.

8 comments:

  1. T-R-E-M-O-L-O.  I would have been super successful at an indie rock spelling bee as a kid. So excited for everyone at the Bee!

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  2. Marsha11:48 AM

    Yay! Bee time! Welcome back Cat, Shonda, and other knowledgable commentators.

    And, of course, Go Devora!

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  3. Genevieve1:55 PM

    Yay for Cat, Shonda, Heather, Rafael (I think I'm remembering his name right, maybe not), and others -- love reading your comments on the Bee!!

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  4. Marsha2:42 PM

    Matthew Evans is tweeting again this year about his sister Hannah at  @yesiamawordnerd - worth a follow.

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  5. scottru3:36 PM

    Excited for another great year, clearing my calendar for obsessive refreshing, and once again wishing there was a way to watch live online...

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  6. scottru3:39 PM

    Answering my own not-really question: it looks like ESPN3 (fka ESPN360) is broadcasting the bee live tomorrow - http://espn.go.com/espn3/ - but we will see for sure.

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  7. Marnie12:28 AM

    As a newly minted Washingtonian, I wish the Bee was open to the public. So excited to watch and share the experience with fellow thing throwers!

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  8. Jennifer J.1:05 AM

    I have an appointment right in the middle of bee time tomorrow. Drats!

    Welcome back to all the fabulous commentators, posters, obsessives, and enjoyers of all things Bee. :)

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