By Ben Nuckols

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.

Share:
More In Culture
How to Save on Holiday Decorations
As people start decorating for the holiday season, it can get a bit pricey with expenses getting in the way. Jen Anderson of Metropolitan Farm spoke with Janice Lieberman about how you can save on those decorations.
Artists Praised in Kennedy Center Honors
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended the Kennedy Center's annual honors gala. The 2023 honorees included the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb, comedian and actor Billy Crystal, opera singer Renee Fleming, rapper and actress Queen Latifah, and singer Dion Warwick.
New Music Friday
It won't be Friday without some new music to listen to this weekend.
Load More