The Scripps National Spelling Bee ended in a tie for the third consecutive year Thursday night, with Jairam Hathwar and Nihar Janga declared co-champions after a roller-coaster finish. Nihar, at age 11, is the youngest winner of the bee on record. Scripps made the bee tougher after two consecutive ties, forcing the last two spellers to get through three times as many words as in years past. The final day of the Scripps National Spelling Bee could feature the most difficult words ever used in the competition. Bee organizers decided to make changes after the competition ended in a tie the past two years.