NATIONAL SPELLING BEE 2007: ROUND 8

Evan O'Dorney danced his way through schuhplattler.

Nate Gurke executed a very graceful abseil.

Joseph Henares reaped a place in Round 9 with triticale--an extremely easy one for a gluten-free trekker. (And it would probably have also been very easy for Canadian Gurke, regardless of his gf status or sf taste.)

Connor Spencer made the same mistake I made on cachalot.

Matthew Evans impaled himself on fauchard.

Prateek Kohli survived randkluft.

Isabel Jacobson proudly presided over epaulement.

It doesn't take a mathlete to see that it's down to five. A very strong handful of spellers.