The winning word was "forbearance," meaning "patience," and Ariya Narayanasamy may be representative of the word — going through more than two dozen rounds of unceasing demands to spell sometimes arcane words accurately and pick correct definitions without making a single mistake.
Narayanasamy, a seventh-grade student at India International School in Japan, Tokyo campus, emerged victorious in The 10th Japan Times Bee competition Sunday, fending off challenges by 39 contestants. He took a trophy and various prizes back home.
"I feel very happy. This moment is very surreal to me," Narayanasamy said after the contest, basking in the glow of victory. "I've studied for this a lot and now it's finally coming true."