Soft-spoken but brimming with confidence, Dev Shah asked precise questions about obscure Greek roots, rushed through his second-to-last word and rolled to the Scripps National Spelling Bee title Thursday night.
Dev, a 14-year-old from Largo, Florida, had his spelling career interrupted by the pandemic, then didn't make it out of his regional bee last year. He got through his highly competitive regional this year for his third and final try at the national title, and he ended up holding the trophy over his head as confetti fell.
His winning word was “psammophile,” a layup for a speller of his caliber.
“Psammo meaning sand, Greek?” he asked. “Phile, meaning love, Greek?”
He soaked up the moment by asking for the word to be used in a sentence, something he described a day earlier as a stalling tactic. Then he put his hands over his face as he was declared the winner.
Charlotte Walsh, a 14-year-old from Arlington, Virginia, was the runner-up.
Sarah Burke, editor-in-chief of Them, spoke with Cheddar News about how its digital magazine offers a different setting for the LGBTQ+ community from other magazines. "From the very beginning, the intention was to create a platform that had a foundation of inclusivity and intersectionality across the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum," Burke said.
Imagine having a viral video with 5 million views but not even using a cell phone. That is the paradox of a Greek great-grandma touching hearts around the world just by doing her thing. Take a look at this.
Glenda Jackson, a two-time Academy Award-winning performer who had a second career in politics as a British lawmaker before an acclaimed late-life return to stage and screen, has died at age 87.
Cold plunges are super hot on social media right now. Experts say they boost mental health, soothe sore muscles, and even promote weight loss. Cheddar's Ashley Mastronardi visited Kardashian favorite, Remedy Place, to get the skinny on ice baths.
New details are emerging about Carrie Fisher's last film. Here's a look at Fisher in the upcoming fantasy movie Wonder Well, which co-stars Rita Ora. Deadline is reporting that the film has a theatrical release date of June 23.
An auction of artwork and furniture from philanthropists Ann and Gordon Getty is taking place at Christie's Wednesday with online sales set for Thursday. Cheddar News takes a peek at some of the arts and objects from the family's Temple of Wings home in Berkeley, Calif.
