USA (Commonwealth Union)_ In a jubilant display of passion and precision, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki from Allen, Texas, emerged as the winner of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The Indian-American eighth grader, who captivated audiences with his animated presence and carefree approach, claimed the top prize during the competition’s landmark 100th anniversary. Returning to the stage after a heartbreaking second-place finish in 2024, Zaki entered the finals as a frontrunner. Last year, he never misspelled a word in the standard rounds but fell in an unpracticed lightning-round tiebreaker. This year, he came prepared, not just with an arsenal of complex words, but with a mindset to enjoy every moment.
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Donning a black hoodie and a broad smile, Faizan spelled with flair throughout the finals. Yet even his vibrant energy nearly cost him the title. With only three contestants left, both Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane stumbled on their respective words. That left Faizan just two correct spellings away from victory. But on the first, “commelina”, he leapt ahead without asking for the word’s definition or language of origin, as most spellers traditionally do. After beginning the word incorrectly, he halted mid-spell, exclaimed, “Oh, shoot!” and accepted the miss with a grin.
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“Just ring the bell,” he told the head judge, who obliged, prompting a brief return of the other contestants to the stage. Despite the misstep, Faizan rebounded brilliantly. Moments later, he sealed his win with the French word “eclaircissement,” spelling it confidently and collapsing to the floor in celebration. “I’ll probably have nightmares about that first word tonight,” Faizan admitted afterward. “But it all worked out.” This year’s bee was not only a personal triumph for Faizan but a historic one as well. With this win, he became the fifth runner-up in the competition’s century-long history to return and clinch the title. He is also part of a continuing legacy, as 30 of the last 36 champions have been Indian American, a trend that began with Nupur Lala’s victory in 1999.
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Faizan’s love for words goes beyond the competition. A spelling enthusiast since age seven, he has been known to study obscure and obsolete words for fun. His dedication, matched by his sense of humor, stood out even among the elite spellers. His coach, Sam Evans, described him as “crazy, in the best way. He’s doing what he loves.” His journey wasn’t a solitary one. Faizan credited his coaches Scott Remer, Sohum Sukhantankar, and Evans for helping him refine his technique without stifling his individuality. Despite pressure to adopt a more methodical style, Faizan insisted on enjoying the moment. “I think he cared too much about his aura,” joked his friend and last year’s champion, Bruhat Soma. Faizan countered, “No offense to Bruhat, but I think he took the bee a little too seriously. I decided to have fun with this bee, and here I am.”
This centennial edition of the bee was one of the most competitive recently. At one point, six spellers delivered 28 correct words in a row, and the finals featured three perfect rounds. Runner-up Sarvadnya Kadam, 14, concluded his bee career with a poised performance, while third-place finisher Sarv Dharavane, just 11, promises to be a strong contender for years to come. With this year’s $52,500 winner’s check added to last year’s $25,000 prize, Faizan’s total bee earnings rose to $77,500. He previously splurged on a $1,500 Rubik’s cube and plans to donate a portion of his latest winnings to charity. As the bee prepares to return to Constitution Hall next year, Faizan Zaki’s name is etched in history, not only for his spelling skills but for the joy and authenticity he brought to the stage.
