Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old from Rancho Cucamonga, California, won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. on May 28 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The contest ended with a 90-second tiebreaker spell-off after Parikh and 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta were tied. Parikh spelled 32 words correctly during the tiebreaker, while Gupta spelled 25 words correctly [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The spell-off format was introduced in 2021 to avoid multiple co-champions, following the 2019 bee that finished with eight winners [3]. Approximately 247 finalists aged 9 to 15 competed over three days at the national finals this year [2, 3].
There is some disagreement over the final winning word. One source reports "cashaw," a type of pumpkin, while another cites "bromocriptine," a polypeptide alkaloid [1, 3]. Parikh took home a cash prize estimated between $50,000 and $52,000 for his victory [2, 3].
Parikh previously competed in the national bee, placing 89th in 2022 and third in 2024. He missed the 2025 nationals after losing his school bee due to illness [4, 5]. Parikh is of Indian descent, known for his well-rounded skills as a student and musician, as well as his prior spelling competition experience [5].
The contest maintained its tense finale with the rapid-fire spell-off format, testing speed and accuracy under pressure. Parikh's strong finish in the tiebreaker secured his first national title.
The next Scripps National Spelling Bee will be scheduled for 2027, continuing the tradition of this annual competition.
