Thanks to Bee Sponsors Mental Floss and Josh Bach Ltd!

The last Williamsburg Spelling Bee of 2012 is TONIGHT, and we've got prizes fit for champions. 

Three of the last spellers standing will win Split Decisions, the fastest, funniest trivia game on the block, where every choice is tempting and every decision matters.

About our Sponsor: mental_floss magazine is an intelligent read, but not too intelligent. Their content feeds your right brain, nurture your left brain, indulge your scattered brain, and features stories to make you smile. You can browse their online store here.

Four lucky linguaphiles will win one of these language neckties from Josh Bach Ltd., and subsequently will be very fashionable in multiple languages.

About our Sponsor: Josh Bach Ltd. makes handsome and distinctive productes designed as a pleasant departure from the predictable and the everyday. Manufactured in the heart of New York City, right at the South Street Seaport. Visit their website here.

November 5th Winners

Congratulations to

1st place: Drew Levitt
2nd place: Bobby Zacharias
3rd place: Judy Applebaum

Next month is the 2012 Finals!



More photos here.

October 1 Winners

1st place: Wilson Southerland
2nd place: Janani Sreenivasan
3rd place: Lillie Dremeaux


More pics here.

All 3 winners qualify for the December 3rd Finals!

Only one more regular-season bee! See you November 5th.

Labor Day Spelling Bee Winners

1st place: Marcus Bones
2nd place: Janani Sreenivasan
3rd place tie: Jane Metcalf and Emily Winograd

All four winners qualify for the December finals!

ANNOUNCEMENT! New rule: For the rest of 2012, no one who has won 1st place in a monthly 2012 spelling bee is eligible to win again. That means November and December are anyone's game! See you for the next bee on October 1.



More pics here.

Thanks to Bee Sponsor Mental Floss!

At our Labor Day Spelling Bee, four contestants won this "Spell Czech" t-shirt. We have a few more Mental Floss prizes tucked away for the December finals. We think Mental Floss is a pretty perfect sponsor for the Williamsburg Spelling Bee, and thank them for their patronage.

About our Sponsor: mental_floss magazine is an intelligent read, but not too intelligent. Their content feeds your right brain, nurture your left brain, indulge your scattered brain, and features stories to make you smile. You can browse their online store here.

August 6th Bee Results

Congratulations to the winners of the August 6th Spelling Bee!

1st place - David Zheng
2nd place - Marcus Bones
3rd place - Janani Sreenivasan


David and Marcus with hosts Jen and bobbyblue.

Janani disappeared before the photo opp, but we'll see her, along with David and Marcus, back in December for the Finals!

Come on out for the next bee on September 3rd.

July 2nd Bee Winners

Congratulations to the Winners of the July 2nd Bee

1st) Marcus Bones

2nd) Maddy DeLeon

3rd) Ben Kusmin

Also a hearty honorable mention to Karolina Lempert!

See you at the next bee on August 6th.

Strip Spelling in Portland

I have been informed that Portland, OR has a "Nearly Naked Bee" (Willamette Week):

The Nearly Naked Bee [SPELLING] Combine the rules of strip poker with a spelling bee, and you've got the Nearly Naked Bee: every time a contestant spells a word incorrectly, they must remove an item of clothing. The winner gets a cash prize, but the losers can also perform a striptease to win swag for themselves. Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Ave. 8:30 pm. Free for competitors, $3 for spectators. 21.

Er, no plans to change the rules here in Brooklyn.

Congratulations to Our June 4th Bee Winners

1st: Robert Moy
2nd: Marcus Bones
3rd: Ben Kusmin

A very special honorable mention to Janani, who made it into a runoff for 3rd place.

More photos here.

See you Monday, July 2nd at 7pm for our next bee!

Next Bee: Monday, June 4

Monday, June 4

The Williamsburg Spelling Bee
Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St., Brooklyn
(Lorimer St. between Frost and Richardson / L or G train to Lorimer)
7:30pm (signup begins at 7)
Free


From "broccoli" to "triskaidekaphobia," come test out your spelling in a bar backroom filled with smart people and beer. Free, open to all (21+). Signup begins at 7pm -- first 18 people get to play. Three-strikes-you're-out policy means more participation for everyone. Hosted by founder bobbyblue and comedian Jen Dziura. Winners get nerdy prizes and qualify for the annual Finals.

Pete's: 718-302-3770
www.williamsburgspellingbee.com
www.petescandystore.com

Grand Prize courtesy of Fred Flare

Thanks to Bee Sponsor Fred Flare!

Thanks to Fred Flare for supporting the English language -- and those who choose to celebrate it in bars -- by offering these lovely prizes to our bee winners.

One exemplary participant will win the Scrabble Refrigerator Magnet Set, for all your fridge Scrabble-playing needs!

Another distinguished candidate will win the Scrabble Coaster Set, because if there’s one thing we stand for at the Williamsburg Spelling Bee, it’s combining word games and alcohol.

FredFlare online store here. 

Congratulations to the Winners of the May 7th Bee

1st Place: Robert Moy
Tied for 2nd Place: Wilson Southerland, David Zheng, Drew Levitt

Thanks to Paige Bourassa Acupuncture for the prize donation!

More photos here.

April 2nd Results

1st Place: Wilson Southerland
2nd Place: Marcus Bones
3rd Place: David Henry Haan

Pictures coming soon! Congratulations to our winners, all of whom qualify for the December 3rd Finals!

See you next month.

Next Bee: Monday, April 2nd

Monday, April 2nd

The Williamsburg Spelling Bee
Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St., Brooklyn
(Lorimer St. between Frost and Richardson / L or G train to Lorimer)
7:30pm (signup begins at 7)
Free



From "broccoli" to "triskaidekaphobia," come test out your spelling in a bar backroom filled with smart people and beer. Free, open to all (21+). Signup begins at 7pm -- first 18 people get to play. Three-strikes-you're-out policy means more participation for everyone. Hosted by founder bobbyblue and comedian Jen Dziura. Winners get nerdy prizes and qualify for the annual Finals.

Pete's: 718-302-3770
www.williamsburgspellingbee.com
www.petescandystore.com

Grand Prize courtesy of Vine Wine

March 5 Winners

First place went to Marcus Bones!



Second place was Maddy DeLeon. Many people tied for third place, so we did not officially award a third place. Also, bobby is making an interesting hand gesture and I am wearing my pi shirt. Just saying.



Here are some words that various contestants spelled this evening:
malmignatte
degringolade
mustelidae
aguahi
brail

That last one is not a misspelling! A brail is "One of several small ropes attached to the leech of a sail for drawing the sail in or up, or a small net for drawing fish from a trap or a larger net into a boat."

(For anyone considering attending, I assure you that the above words were from the finals! In the first round, contestants spelled words such as rhinoceros, mayonnaise, pistachio, accommodate, and stiletto. We're not here to frighten anyone!)

More photos here.

Next bee, April 2nd! See you then!

Monday, March 5: The Williamsburg Spelling Bee

Monday, March 5

The Williamsburg Spelling Bee
Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St., Brooklyn
(Lorimer St. between Frost and Richardson / L or G train to Lorimer)
7:30pm
Free



From "broccoli" to "triskaidekaphobia," come test out your spelling in a bar backroom filled with smart people and beer. Free, open to all (21+). Signup begins at 7pm -- first 18 people get to play. Three-strikes-you're-out policy means more participation for everyone. Hosted by founder bobbyblue and comedian Jen Dziura. Winners get nerdy prizes and qualify for the annual Finals.

Pete's: 718-302-3770
www.williamsburgspellingbee.com
www.petescandystore.com

Grand Prize courtesy of Vine Wine

February 6th Winners

1st Place: Ben Kusmin
2nd Place: Tamara Glenny
3rd Place: David Henry Haan

Congratulations! All three winners qualify for our annual Finals (date TBA).

Anecdote: I Cared About Spelling Before You Were Even Born

I just realized how many years it's been, and I'm still mad at my third grade teacher, who corrected "ice cream sundae" to "ice cream sunday" in at least eight spots in my "My Favorite Thing" essay that she handed back on the very last day of school so I didn't have a chance to complain.

YOU ARE STILL WRONG, MRS. E!

Here's Wikipedia on the "sundae", not to be confused with sundae, "a Korean dish made generally by boiling or steaming cow or pig's intestines that are stuffed with various ingredients."

I'm sure most people who elect to attend an adult spelling bee have some kind of similar tale of childhood pedantic rage.

- Jennifer

Funniest Spelling Bee Videos

How cute is this kid, being asked to spell a ridiculous word?

Spelling Bee - These bloopers are hilarious

More of the same here, including the very uncomfortable white kid asked to spell "negus":



Come on out to the next Williamsburg Spelling Bee on Monday, February 6th. Winner gets a gift certificate to Vine Wine, which we are certain will improve your spelling.

Thanks to Vine Wine

Ever walk by this on your way to the bee?

Looks familiar, right? This is our new friend Vine Wine at 616 Lorimer St.

Talitha from Vine is standing up for spelling by providing gift certificates to the first place winners for the next three bees! So come on out to the next bee!

Monday, February 6

The Williamsburg Spelling Bee
Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St., Brooklyn
(Lorimer St. between Frost and Richardson / L or G train to Lorimer)
7:30pm
Free

From "broccoli" to "triskaidekaphobia," come test out your spelling in a bar backroom filled with smart people and beer. Free, open to all (21+). Signup begins at 7pm -- first 18 people get to play. Three-strikes-you're-out policy means more participation for everyone. Hosted by founder bobbyblue and comedian Jen Dziura. Winners get nerdy prizes and qualify for the annual Finals.

Pete's: 718-302-3770
www.williamsburgspellingbee.com
www.petescandystore.com

Spread the Word: We always need prize sponsors. Stand up for spelling!

Sincerely,
Jen

p.s. As befits a Williamsburg wine store, Vine is open until 10pm, so you actually could even stop in after the bee.

January 2nd Winners

Congratulations to the winners of our first bee of 2012!

1st Place: Marcus Bones
2nd Place: Mika Cheng
3rd Place: Noam Schuldenrein

 All three winners qualify for our annual Finals, to be held in late 2012.
 
From left: Marcus, Bobby, Mika, Noam, Jen

 
Your hosts!

More photos here.

Come back Monday, February 6th for the next installment. Everyone, win or lose, is welcome back at every bee up to the Finals.

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Technology is crazy. When the Williamsburg Spelling Bee began in 2004, there was Friendster! Friendster, mind you! And no one was sitting in the audience looking up words on their phones. Oh, how times have changed.