Florida's Dev Shah Wins 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee with "Psammophile"

Dev Shah, an eighth-grader from Largo, Florida, won the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee and the $50,000 prize by correctly spelling "psammophile." Charlotte Walsh, an eighth-grader from Arlington, Virginia, won second place and $25,000, while Shradha Rachamreddy and Surya Kapu tied for third and each won $12,500. Shah dedicated months to studying and cut back on extracurricular activities to prepare for the competition. The finals began with 11 spellers left, and Shah displayed poise and a "prodigious" command of word stems and roots to secure the win.