Teams get down to the task at hand at Otago Girls' High School last night. Photo by Linda Robertson. : Reading the key, winners say

John McGlashan College trio (from left) Jaiden Tucker, Alex Leckie-Zaharic (both 14) and Boen Deng (13) with their Otago Daily Times Extra! Spelling Quiz first-place award. : Reading the key, winners say

Otago Boys' High School competitors (from left) Tom Wilson-Mulqueen, Alex Grant and Tim Dippie (all 14) celebrate after finishing. : Reading the key, winners say

Hard at work are (from left) Emilia Haszard (13), Kayla Abernethy (13) and Tessa Hadfield (12), of Bayfield High School. : Reading the key, winners say

Putting their heads together are (from left) Louis Freeman (14), Joseph Araya (14) and Cedric Hughes (13), of Logan Park High School. : Reading the key, winners say

Concentrating hard are (from left) Ella Steel (13), Abigail Thompson (13) and Judy Kingham (14) of Otago Girls' High School. : Reading the key, winners say