| 49th Scripps National Spelling Bee | |
|---|---|
 The Mayflower Hotel, site of the 49th National Spelling Bee | |
| Date | June 9–10, 1976 |
| Location | The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. |
| Winner | Tim Kneale |
| Age | 13 |
| Residence | Nedrow, New York |
| Sponsor | Syracuse Herald-Journal |
| Sponsor location | Syracuse, New York |
| Winning word | narcolepsy |
| No. of contestants | 87 |
| Pronouncer | Richard R. Baker |
| Preceded by | 48th Scripps National Spelling Bee |
| Followed by | 50th Scripps National Spelling Bee |
The 49th Scripps National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. at the Mayflower Hotel on June 9–10, 1976, sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company.
The winner was 13-year-old Tim Kneale of Nedrow, New York, winning on the word "narcolepsy" in the 21st round. Second place went to 13-year-old Rachel Wachtel of Wooster, Ohio, who missed "yarborough". Both missed "emmetropia" and "chorography" in prior rounds before "yarborough" was used. Third place was captured by 13-year-old William Mulhern of Marysville, Kansas, who fell on "balletomane".[1][2][3][4]
The correct words spelled by Kneale also included: fatigue, conceit, opalescent, carafe, egalitarian, supernumerary, persiflage, literati, aphotic, bellipotent, physiolatry, demulcent, hagiology, and sauerbraten.[2]
A record 87 contestants participated this year, up from 79 in 1975 and 80 in 1974.[5] There were 49 girls and 38 boys ranging in age from 10 to 14. There were two repeat spellers, both from the prior year, the smallest number since 1970.[5] Sixty were eliminated in the first day of competition.[1] 525 total words were used this year.[2]
John Paola, who finished 22nd, would go on to win the next year.[6]
- ^ a b (10 June 1976). 'Narcolepsy' is the winning word, Ellensburg Daily Record (UPI)
- ^ a b c Macino, Dick (11 June 1976). Wait Till Next Year, Defeated Speller Says, Pittsburgh Press
- ^ Cohen, Richard (1 July 1976). Spelling plagues columnist, Spokesman-Review
- ^ Munroe, Mary (22 June 1976). Report from Washington, Virgin Islands Daily News (Washington News Bureau)
- ^ a b (9 June 1976). National Spelling Bee begins today, The Dispatch (Lexington, North Carolina)(UPI)
- ^ Williams, Juan (10 June 1977). Sesquipedalian Speller Triumphs at Spelling Bee, The Washington Post