Our annual Microsoft Word vs the Spelling Bee Champions contest has returned for 2021. Word has done better than in the past but was still beaten by an extraordinary 14 year-old.
Here’s the list of words used in the final rounds, (rounds 10-18) of the Scripps Spelling Bee as they appear in Word 365.
In 2021, Word has done OK, out of the 31 words it didn’t recognize 12 words (the red squiggles).
2021’s Spelling Bee Champ is Zaila Avant-Garde from New Orleans. An amazing lady who is also a basketball wonder and broad reader. Her two favorite books are Lord of the Rings and Dead Man Walking by Sister Helen Prejean.
The Score
Spelling Bee champs: 31
Microsoft Word: 18
Here’s how Word ‘scored’ in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 , 2014 and 2013.
Our purpose isn’t to make fun of Word (that’s a little bonus <g> ). It does show that Word’s online dictionary isn’t the ‘last word’ (pun intended) on what’s a legitimate or correctly spelled word. In other words, just because there’s a red squiggly line doesn’t mean the word is wrong.
More changes for Word’s Spelling and Grammar
Star Wars in the Office dictionary
