Spelling bee 2022 — back on track
This report can be relatively perfunctory, because the results are almost always a foregone conclusion. After a hiatus because of the pandemic lockdowns and then an incredible shocker last year (see "Selected readings" below), there are basically no surprises… though the format has evolved.
The new thing this time was a "spell-off" that kicked in if no winner came out after a certain number of rounds. It was hard to bring the previous bees to a conclusive end because the participants were so consummately well prepared — there was an 8-way tie in 2019. I like the new format because, not only does it eliminate overly long proceedings and multiple ties, it also adds an element of extra drama and speed to the finale. The unsurprising thing this year was that 11 out of 13 finalists looked to be of Indian origin. (source)
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