These fourth graders certainly weren't "writhing," worried about "diabolical" words or concerned about the "fiddle faddle" of today's spelling bee. Instead, they were "lustrous" in their conquering of such words as extricates, abolition and humanitarian. In the end, it was like a real "xanadu" for the winner, Matilda Joels, who spelled that word to win the spelling bee.

Second place was Vishnu Vardhana, who correctly spelled culprits, diabolical, extricates, couriers and clavicle in the final rounds before succumbing to the difficulty of "sagacity." Hamzah Nayab was third place after spelling writhing, fiddle faddle, peasantry and miscreant before missing on garbanzo. All three move on to the next bee against students from other schools in Chattanooga after the new year.

Matilda, who also spelled relinquish, lustrous, sepia, and diminutive, followed her sister Talia, who won as a fifth grader in 2017.