Los Alamos speller wins New Mexico bee

Hannah Li won New Mexico’s state spelling bee on March 21 after the 13-year-old Los Alamos Middle School student correctly spelled “hygrometer,” sending her to the national competition in Washington. The victory came at the 79th annual New Mexico State Spelling Bee in Albuquerque, where Li outlasted 25 contestants from around the state. (abqjournal.com) The Albuquerque Journal and the Santa Fe New Mexican both reported that Li had come close before, finishing second and third in earlier state appearances. Li told the Journal the win felt like “the feeling of knowing all your work paid off.” The winning word is a technical one. (spellingbee.com) Merriam-Webster defines “hygrometer” as an instrument used to measure atmospheric humidity, the term Li used to secure the title, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican and the dictionary entry cited in coverage of the bee. Li will now represent New Mexico at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which is scheduled for May 27 and May 28 in Washington. ### Which words decided the New Mexico title? The championship turned on “biquintile” and “hygrometer,” the two words Li spelled in the final round, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The runner-up, Max Berger, was eliminated after misspelling “dysautonomia,” the newspaper reported. (abqjournal.com) Cuillena Spacek of Hills Academy in Farmington finished third after misspelling “sonobuoy,” the Journal reported. The paper said the field had been narrowed over multiple rounds that included words such as “chupacabra,” “du jour,” “asgard,” “en masse,” “diocese” and “clavichord.” (santafenewmexican.com) ### Where was the bee held, and how big was the field? The 79th annual New Mexico State Spelling Bee was held at Central New Mexico Community College’s Smith Brasher Hall in Albuquerque, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The competition began at 9 a.m. on March 21 and drew 25 contestants from across the state. (abqjournal.com) The Santa Fe New Mexican described the event as Li’s third trip through the state contest before finally taking first place. That detail helps explain why local coverage framed the win as the culmination of multiple years of competition rather than a first-time breakthrough. (abqjournal.com) ### Who is Hannah Li? Hannah Li is a 13-year-old eighth grader at Los Alamos Middle School, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The paper reported that Li had finished second and third in previous state bees before winning this year. (abqjournal.com) Li told the Journal she had less time to study this year because of other activities, including speech and debate. Instead, she said she adjusted her preparation by learning spelling patterns from different languages, a strategy she hoped would help with unfamiliar dictionary words. (santafenewmexican.com) ### What happens when she gets to Washington? The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee will take place at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, according to the event’s official Bee Week page. Scripps says 247 spellers from across the country and around the world will compete there over Memorial Day week. (abqjournal.com) The official schedule lists preliminaries for May 26, quarterfinals for May 27, televised semifinals on May 27 and the finals on May 28. Scripps said on May 5 that ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals on ION. May 26 is the next dated milestone for Li. That is when Bee Week begins in Washington before the semifinal and final rounds on May 27 and May 28 at DAR Constitution Hall, according to Scripps. (abqjournal.com) (spellingbee.com)