The Scripps National Spelling Bee moved to a new venue this year after 15 years at a convention center in suburban Maryland. The competition now takes place at Constitution Hall, Washington's largest dedicated concert venue, putting the event in the heart of the nation's capital.

Among the 54 semifinalists competing Wednesday for spots in Thursday's finals, contestants have adopted markedly different preparation strategies. Some spellers employ intensive coaching, paid study guides, and online competitions throughout the year. Others rely primarily on dictionary study and memorization techniques.

Shrey Parikh, 14, from Rancho Cucamonga, California, exemplifies the comprehensive approach. The 2024 third-place finisher works with three coaches and competes in year-round online spelling competitions. His preparation intensified after missing the word 'calipers' at his school bee last year due to illness. Parikh uses multiple resources including SpellPundit, an online platform that claims every recent champion as a customer, and Onyma, a new AI-assisted learning platform.

In contrast, 12-year-old Sarv Dharavane from Dunwoody, Georgia, relies solely on Merriam-Webster's Unabridged dictionary. The sixth-grader, who finished third in 2025, has no coach and doesn't participate in online competitions. 'The book is my coach,' Dharavane said, explaining his strategy of reading the dictionary and setting aside difficult words for later study.

The debate between memorization and mastery of language patterns continues among spelling coaches and former champions. Sam Evans, who coached the past two champions, argues that memorization remains crucial since finals-level words often lack clear linguistic patterns. However, 2023 champion Dev Shah advocates for understanding roots and language patterns, believing spellers can deduce unfamiliar words through conceptual knowledge.

Former champion Sohum Sukhatankar, who now coaches Parikh, emphasizes efficiency in preparation. He argues that at the highest levels, spellers must be ready for hundreds of thousands of words, making strategic study methods essential to avoid memory overload during competition.