Laura Strahan correctly spelled “abstruse,” an adjective meaning difficult to understand. And in spelling correctly this obscure – by definition – word, she won the 2013-14 Bluffton Middle School spelling bee.

WATCH FOR A VIDEO OF THE PRACTICE ROUND - PHOTO OF ALL CONTESTANT AT BOTTOM OF STORY

The eighth grader now represents the school in the Allen County spelling bee held in January.

Christopher Harnish, also an eighth grader, is runner-up, as he and Strahan remained in the spelling bee into the eighth round. Harnish’s misspelling of “panache,” a French word meaning flamboyant, eliminated him.

Finishing third was Derek Swartzlander, seventh grader, who was eliminated in route six.

This year's participates were:

Sixth grade
Ana Neufeld Weaver
Olivia Burner
Libby Schaadt
Maria Spallinger
Danielle Novak

Seventh grade
Rhett Donaldson
Shon Beach
Averey Rumer
Jackson Steinmetz
Derek Swartzlander

Eighth grade
Laura Strahan
Justin Haggard
Kaly Jolliff
Ian Stuard
Christopher Harnish

The video shows all participants in a practice round. The words in the round do not represent the difficulty of words in the spelling bee. Rather, the round enabled participants to relax prior to the competition.