11 Superlative Spelling Bee Moments

Stomach-churning drama. The heartbreak of defeat. The joy of victory.

We're not talking about March Madness or the Super Bowl here. No, we speak of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which hit its semifinal round on Thursday afternoon. The field was winnowed from 281 contestants to just 42 on Wednesday. Then on Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT, the final round will broadcast live on ESPN with the ultimate winner taking home a trophy and $30,000 in prize money.

We've already covered how incredibly tough many of the words contestants face really are. But the Bee is good for more than just proving that many of us, in fact, aren't smarter than a fifth grader. Yes, the spelling world's biggest event also produces a whopping batch of fantastic photos.

We've collected 15 of our favorites so far here. Check them out below, then let us know which you like best in the comments.

1. Amber Born of Marblehead, Mass., gets pumped up after correctly spelling a word on Thursday.

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2. High five! Two spellers share a congratulatory moment on Thursday.

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3. Game face, baby: Aditya Mishra of Lincoln, Calif., gets focused while waiting for his turn on Wednesday.

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4. Christopher O'Connor out of Arizona racks his brain while spelling a word during Thursday's action.

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5. Fuel for optimum performance: Spellers turn into snackers during a commercial break on Thursday.

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6. Amber Born, thinking hard.

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7. Not all spellers were created equal: Here, Zander Reed of Ankeny, Iowa, lowers the mic to take his turn in the spotlight on Wednesday.

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8. Rebecca Lisk of Caledonia, Ill., is s-t-o-k-e-d after correctly spelling the word "brankursine" on Thursday.

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9. Canadian contestant Mollie J. Symons has just the right attitude at the mic.

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10. Mary Geneve Skirvin gets focused while spelling a word on Thursday.

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11. Alexander Schembra is all business while adjusting the mic before his turn on Wednesday.

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Homepage image courtesy Alex Wong/Getty Images