89th Scripps National Spelling Bee

The competition began with 284 contestants (143 boys and 141 girls), winnowed down from 11 million students who participated in local bees around the country.[6] The age range of the spellers was 6 to 15, 70 of whom were making repeat appearances. 29 spellers were relatives of prior contestants.[6] For the first time, a first-grader qualified, 6-year old Akash Vukoti of Texas.[7][8]

On Tuesday May 24, all contestants took a written test. Then, on May 25, 34 contestants were eliminated when they missed their first word in the first oral round, leaving 251 spellers.[9] By late on May 25, the field had been reduced to 171. After the written scores were added, the field was further reduced to 45 finalists.[7][10]

The final rounds were held on May 26, beginning with the 45 finalists.[11] After round 4, only 21 spellers were left,[7] and after round 7 there were 10.[12]

Notwithstanding efforts to avoid a third year running of inseparable co-winners (see below), Jairam Hathwar and Nihar Janga were declared co-champions after 24 championship rounds.[13][14]

Co-champion Nihar Janga, at age 11, was the first winner since 2002 to win in his first appearance at the national bee.[15] Jairam Hathwar became the second sibling of a past champion (his brother Sriram Hathwar was co-champion in 2014) to win the competition.[16]

Thirteen-year old Snehaa Ganesh Kumar of Folsom, California placed third, falling on "usucapion" in the 16th round, the first championship round.[17][18] Sylvie Lamontagne of Lakewood, Colorado, also 13, placed fourth, missing "chaoborine" in the 15th round.[15] The final four outlasted all other competitors by a full four rounds. Other finalists, in order, included Smrithi Upadhyayula, Rutvik Gandhasri, Cooper Komatsu, Sreeniketh Vogoti, Mitchell Robson, and Jashun Paluru.

After two consecutive years where the Bee ended in a tie, it was announced in April 2016 that harder words would be used in the final rounds.[19]

The first place prize this year was increased to $40,000 from $30,000, second to $30,000 and third to $20,000.[19]