A 'tenrec' too far: Canadian's spelling bee journey ends in semifinals with good humour

The word was “tenrec,” and 11-year-old Canadian Isaac Brogan knew immediately there could be trouble.

The definition — any of the numerous small, often insectivorous mammals of Madagascar — didn’t provide him much help.

“Well, prepare the bell,” said the Windsor, Ont., resident, sparking laughter from the hundreds in the audience watching the semifinals of the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C. 

The bell, as everyone at the competition knows, is the signal indicating that one of the young spellers has misspelled their word.

“I’m going to try this out but I’m probably going to fail,” said Issac, displaying some of that