Dramatic finals of Scripps National Spelling Bee to begin

OXON HILL, Md. — After a longer build-up than usual, the dramatic final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee get underway Thursday.Forty-one spellers advanced to the finals out of a field of 516 — by far the largest in the 93-year history of the competition. Scripps started a wild-card program this year that created a path to nationals for spellers who didn't win their regional bees, and some of the finalists got to the bee that way.The past 13 champions and 18 of the last 22