Faizan Zaki, 12, of Allen, Texas, left, hugs Rohith Konduri, 14, of Virginia Beach, Va., after Konduri was eliminated in the final stages of the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Eight spellers, including Zaki, will head to Thursday night's finals. At right is finalist Shrey Parikh, 12, of Rancho Cucamonga, California. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)