2025-2026 WordMasters Challenge Year-End Results

We are pleased to announce the final results of the 39th annual WordMasters Challenge™.  Please check out the tables below for the Top Ten teams in each division, as well as the cumulative scores required to qualify for each level of individual special honors.

Congratulations to the eighth grade team representing Lincoln Hall in Lincolnwood, IL, which outscored its nearest competitor by a whopping 45 points to claim first place in the Grade 8/Blue Division.  Teams from Illinois middle schools captured spots 1 through 4 as well as 10th place in the overall competition for Grade 8.

Impressive wins in the Gold Division include the 4G team from Nysmith School in Herndon, VA (outscoring second place team by 35 points), and  a 5G team from Bella Vista Elementary School in San Ramon, CA  (outscoring the second place team by 33 points).  A second 5G team from Bella Vista also placed in the Top Ten nationally, capturing 5th place.

At the conclusion of each year’s WordMasters Challenge™, we determine three categories of national individual recognition.  “Highest Honors” are reserved for those students who have finished among the top 10-15 students in the country at their grade level.  “High Honors” are for those students who have finished among the top 2% of all competitors at their grade level, and “Honorable Mention” is for those who have finished in the top 10%.  The score required to qualify for these honors varies from year to year.  The charts below show the minimum score required for each level of honor at each grade level for the 2025-2026 WordMasters Challenge™.

Team Leaders, if you had one or more teams place among the Top Ten in its division and/or any of your students achieved Highest Honors recognition, we will be sending you a DRAFT press release by May 6th. Since we email the press releases as Word documents, you may edit and distribute the press release at your discretion.  If you would like to create your own press release, click here for a downloadable template.

We suggest that any student who has achieved a cumulative score high enough to qualify for one of these honors deserves special recognition—an article or photo in your local newspaper, a commendation from your Board of Education, or at least individual mention in a schoolwide awards assembly. Please send us copies of articles about your Challenge champions which have run in your local newspapers. We especially enjoy seeing photographs of the children who make up teams in different parts of the country, and will post them on our website with your permission.

It's time to start planning for the upcoming 2026-2027 WordMasters Challenge™! Registration is available online now through September 30th -- just go to our website to register online or click here to download an order form.

BLUE DIVISION:

Please click on the following links to download a list of all students who achieved Highest Honors in the 2025-2026 WordMasters Challenge™ - Blue Division.  

Grade 3 |  Grade 4  |  Grade 5  |  Grade 6  |  Grade 7  |  Grade 8

Congratulations to the following Outstanding Teams in the Blue Division:

GOLD DIVISION:

Please click on the following links to download a list of all students who achieved Highest Honors in the 2025-2026 WordMasters Challenge™ - Gold Division.  

Grade 3  |  Grade 4  |  Grade 5  |  Grade 6  |  Grade 7  |  Grade 8

Congratulations to the following Outstanding Teams in the Gold Division: