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On spelling's saddest day, hyped National Spelling Bee competitors see their hopes dashed
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Achyut Ethiraj, 14, of Fort Wayne, Ind., reacts to misspelling his word during the quarterfinal round of competition in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 29, 2024. - photo by AP Photo/Nathan Howard
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — When Achyut Ethiraj's final appearance in the Scripps National Spelling Bee ended far earlier than he anticipated, the 14-year-old grimaced at the microphone, walked off the stage quietly and exited the ballroom with his mother's arm draped around his back. Achyut had plenty of company among the more than 100 spellers eliminated on Wednesday, spelling's saddest day.