North Dakota's representative to the national spelling bee made it through the first two rounds on Wednesday but didn't score well enough on the multiple choice test to advance.

Matt McIntyre, 14, of Jamestown, correctly spelled the word "interim" in the second round of the 80th annual Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee.

Spelling Bee officials added up the points from a written test and from the second round, and 109 of the original 286 spellers advanced.

Bee spokesman Josh Doyle said contestants needed 18 out of a possible 28 points to advance to the third round.

McIntyre won the state spelling bee in March, beating out 99 other contestants.

-Associated Press