Scripps National Spelling Bee tweaks its rules to make ‘spell-off’ tiebreaker less likely
Read Scripps National Spelling Bee tweaks its rules to make ‘spell-off’ tiebreaker less likely on WALY Radio
Scripps National Spelling Bee tweaks its rules to make ‘spell-off’ tiebreaker less likely
By BEN NUCKOLSWASHINGTON (AP) — The Scripps National Spelling Bee won’t be so quick to force spellers into a lightning-round tiebreaker to decide a champion this year, a shift that follows criticism of the abrupt ending to last year’s competition.Scripps has eliminated its requirement that the tiebreaker known as a “spell-off” be used when the bee finals are nearing the end of their two-hour broadcast window and a champion has not been decided. Instead, judges will have more discretion to let the bee play out, even if it runs into overtime.“We don’t have those constraints in place that will force ..