Indian chick wins US spelling bee...

After months of training, in the end it took Kavya Shivashankar, 13, just nine correct letters to be crowned the new US spelling champion.

She correctly spelt Laodicean, meaning to be lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics, to claim victory in the 2009 Scripps Spelling Bee. 

A record 293 spellers, including 28 from countries outside the US, had made it to the final stages of the contest. 

Among the 9-15 year olds were 33 who speak English as their second language. More + video...

See also:

1. Can you spell " sardoodledom?"
2. Spelling bee genius goes berserk on Onion TV!!!
3. The anguish of being illiterate: one woman's story...