LOCALIZE IT: Scripps National Spelling Bee competitors battle it out this week. Find local spellers

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:

The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, continuing a more than century-old tradition. The three-day competition began Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.

This year's 247 spellers represent 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five other countries. They competed in preliminary rounds on May 26, quarterfinals and semifinals are happening today, and finals tomorrow, with the winner taking the unofficial crown of top speller in the English language. The champion's haul includes a trophy and more than $52,000 in cash and prizes.

After the preliminary rounds on Tuesday, 167 were left, and that field was cut to 95 quarterfinalists after a written spelling and vocabulary test.

The top returning finisher from 2025 is Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody, Georgia, who finished third last year as an 11-year-old fifth-grader and got a perfect score on the written test. Even if he falls short this year, he has two years of eligibility left.

Three other potential contenders had perfect test scores:

— Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Rancho Cucamonga, California, who finished third in 2024. He has dominated the bee circuit in the past year, winning the South Asian Spelling Bee, the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee and the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee.

— Oliver Halkett, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Los Angeles who finished in a tie for seventh last year.

— Esha Marupudi, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Chandler, Arizona, who also tied for seventh last year.

Spellers can compete through the eighth grade, and this year's competitors range in age from 9 to 15. Faizan Zaki won last year's bee and will return in a ceremonial role; past champions are not allowed to compete again and last year's runner-up aged out of the competition. The bee moved this year to a new venue, Constitution Hall in downtown Washington, after more than a decade at a convention center just outside the city in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Mina Kimes, an NFL analyst for ESPN and the recent “Celebrity Jeopardy!” champion, is serving as the television host, the bee's first celebrity host since LeVar Burton in 2022.

READ AP'S LATEST COVERAGE

Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes

Scott Remer, the only full-time spelling bee coach, charges $180 an hour. Champs say he’s worth it

Mina Kimes takes over as Scripps National Spelling Bee host as part of reimagined broadcast

HOW TO WATCH

The preliminary rounds will air on Scripps Sports Network from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on May 26. The quarterfinals will air on Scripps Sports from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on May 27, with the semifinals airing live on Scripps Sports from 2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and on tape-delay on ION from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. The finals will air on ION on May 28 from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. The preliminary, quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will also be streamed on spellingbee.com.

FIND SPELLERS NEAR YOU

You can view competitor bios on the Scripps National Spelling Bee site and filter by age, grade, state and finalist type.

Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.

Koen Harvey, 14, of Tsaile, Ariz., spells his word during the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Jayden Le, 13, of Oklahoma City, Okla., reacts after spelling his word correct during the preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee at DAR Constitution Hall, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Yohaan Damani, 13, of Downingtown, Pa., celebrates after providing a correct answer during the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., competes during the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine police arrested two Chilean citizens suspected of being part of a transnational gang that orchestrated burglaries at the homes of well-known athletes, including stars from the NBA and NFL.

The arrests took place at the Retiro bus station in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Federal Police confirmed in a statement Monday.

The two detainees, who were not identified, remained in custody awaiting extradition proceedings requested by the United States.

According to local police, the two Chilean citizens were part of a crime ring that targeted the homes of prominent athletes in the U.S. and Argentina, including NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and former tennis player Juan Martín Del Potro.

Targets also included the homes of NBA players Luka Doncic and Mike Conley Jr.

In 2024, the NFL issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following the burglaries involving the homes of Mahomes and Kelce.

According to the FBI, organized crime groups from South America used publicly available information and social media to track athletes’ habits and travel. The groups used technology allowing them to bypass alarm systems, block wireless internet connections and disable devices, cover security cameras and hide their identities.

Jewelry, millions of dollars in cash, trophies and medals were among items stolen from residences while the athletes were out of town.

In February, seven Chilean citizens were charged in a federal court in Florida with conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Dec. 14, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)