Spelling bee U-P-D-A-T-E

Five years of wanting to be a champion speller ended today for Samir Patel. The 13-year-old Texas favorite to win this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee spelled the word clevis (it refers to a type fastening device) "c-l-e-v-i-c-e."
He wiped away a tear as he talked about his loss.
"The first thing I thought was c-l-e-v-i-s, and if I had been slow and cautious like I always am, I would have got it right," he said. "But I just outsmarted myself. It was an easy word. I just made a stupid mistake."
Things went better for Andrew Lay (in this picture by AP photographer Lawrence Jackson) who was obviously surprised that he spelled his word correctly.
AP reporter Joseph White writes that as of this afternoon 33 spellers advanced to the bee's sixth round.

-- Caryn Rousseau