Surprise Finalist Announced for 2025 Championship — Full List, Schedule & How to Watch

The 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee is buzzing toward its climax at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, and the search is on for the elite group of young wordsmiths who will advance to the championship round on Thursday, May 30. With 243 competitors reduced through two intense days of preliminaries, quarterfinals and tonight’s primetime semifinals (8-10 p.m. ET on Ion TV), only a handful of spellers will emerge as the 2025 Spelling Bee finalists. Why the 2025 finalists matter • Milestone year: This is the Bee’s centennial competition, adding historic weight—and media attention—to every word spelled correctly. • Record participation: Entrants hail from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and overseas Department of Defense schools, reflecting unparalleled geographic reach. • Big-ticket prizes: The champion pockets $50,000, a commemorative medal and the Scripps cup, while every finalist earns at least $2,000 plus a Merriam-Webster reference library and recognition that can open doors to scholarships, STEM camps and media opportunities. Key TV schedule and live-stream options • Semifinals: Wednesday, May 29, 8-10 p.m. ET on Ion TV; stream on Ion Plus or Fubo (free trial). • Finals: Thursday, May 30, 8-10 p.m. ET, same outlets. • Early-round replays and bonus coverage: Bounce XL and Ion Plus offer on-demand streams for cord-cutters. How finalists are chosen tonight 1. Semifinalists take turns tackling high-difficulty words and lightning-round vocabulary questions. 2. A maximum of 12 spellers can advance, but the field often shrinks to 8–10 due to cumulative scoring. 3. If a tie persists after regulation, a spell-off decides the last finalist slots—an electrifying format introduced in 2021 and used to crown the 2024 champion. Front-runners to watch While the official finalist list won’t be locked until the last bell, Bee analysts highlight several repeat high-scorers from regional contests—including past top-ten finisher Tarini Nandakumar and five-time qualifier Harini Murali—as prime contenders to survive tonight’s gauntlet. What happens after the finalists are named • Media blitz: Finalists sit for national morning-show interviews, social-media Q&As and the traditional finalist photo call in the Potomac Atrium. • Strategy reset: Coaches typically shift finalists from rote-word drills to rapid-fire spell-off simulations, honing speed and confidence. • Fan engagement: Viewers can vote in the Bee’s official “favorite finalist” poll on social platforms and download a free “Words of Champions” study packet to test their own spelling mettle. Ticket information A limited batch of Thursday-night finals seats went on sale earlier this month and sold out within hours, but same-day standing-room passes are released at the venue box office at 4 p.m. ET. Bottom line The phrase “Spelling Bee finalist” is trending for good reason: tonight’s primetime showdown will determine who earns a shot at the $50,000 grand prize, a place in Bee history and—perhaps most valuable of all—lifelong bragging rights as one of America’s finest young linguists. Tune in, stream live or follow the official results dashboard after every round to see which spellers clinch their spot in Thursday’s championship spotlight.