Congratulations to Katharine “Kerry” Close, winner of this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee. Rather appropriate that the winning word, “Ursprache,” would be an etymological term, given spellers’ talent for breaking words down into their component parts…

Congratulations also go out to Finola Hackett, bringing Canada all the way to an unprecedented second place in the increasingly international spelling bee— and for not demonstrating any Weltschmerz upon missing that very word.

Indeed, everyone in this year’s National Spelling Bee, as in every year, deserves a round of applause; it’s hard enough just to make it to the competition in the first place, and it’s definitely an unforgettable experience.