Overview

• Zaki clinched the championship by correctly spelling éclaircissement in the 11th round of the finals.
• An earlier flub of commelina in the final stage restored two rivals before Zaki sealed his victory on the next word.
• He began competing in the national bee at age 7, rising from a 370th-place finish in 2019 to champion.
• The 13-year-old took home $50,000 in cash plus additional awards, bringing his total winnings to $52,500.
• The centennial competition drew 243 contestants to the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland.