Daily crossword puzzles and brain teasers of all kinds were the keys to excelling in the 3rd annual Kiwanis Kupuna Spelling Bee, which drew over 80 participants, age 60 years and older, across the state to compete.

Forty-five of the brightest minds covered by graying hair defied ageism with an impressive display of word prowess during a four-hour contest Oct. 26 at the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin. The Alzheimer’s Association will benefit from proceeds of the event, sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

Contestants survived several rounds by correctly spelling “refugium,” “breviloquence” and “codswallop,” only to stumble over “cotyledon,” diaphanous” and other complicated words many never heard of.

Grand champion Nick Dreher, a retired lawyer at age 75, said it was the first spelling bee he’s participated in since he was 9 years old. His initial goal was just to make it past the first round.

“It was a lot of fun and I especially like winning!” he said.

Dreher said he and his wife, Koren, who encouraged him to join the bee, do a variety of word puzzles daily, watch educational TV, read a lot and take classes — “trying to keep our minds active.” They are busy with hobbies, hike and travel frequently, and spend a good amount of time with their four children and grandchildren.

Lesa Griffith, a writer and editor at age 61, was the runner-up. She, too, is an aficionado of word games and loves to watch spelling bees with her kids.

“I do every single puzzle the New York Times has religiously. I do Wordle everyday … I like the challenge and it’s become part of my routine. I love word puzzles.”

At 104 years of age, Lucile Mistysyn was the eldest contestant, but she tripped on “dribble” in the first round because she couldn’t hear the pronunciation clearly and spelled “dribbling” instead. The room, filled mostly with relatives and friends of the contestants, let out a disappointed “aww” when she was eliminated.

Mistysyn said she didn’t consider herself a good speller, but her friend Kay Fitzsimmons, who, like Mistysyn, lives at the Arcadia retirement home, pushed her into entering the event. Fitzsimmons said Mistysyn is very good at playing card and word games. She said Mistysyn, who graduated from Mary­knoll School in 1937, just received its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, named in her honor, for her unwavering commitment to volunteer service and scholarship donations.

The top three winners came from Honolulu, including third place winner Bibi Place. Other contestants included three from the Big Island, two from Kauai and one from Maui. Unlike previous years, except for the Big Island, preliminary competitions were not held on the neighbor islands.

This was the third spelling bee in a row in which Jan Cerizo of Paia, Maui, has taken part. About half of the contestants are returnees, she said. Cerizo, 64, is fluent in three Filipino languages and considers English her second language.

“I’ve always loved learning English just because I’m fascinated with the words. I find joy and excitement reading the dictionary. My friends think I’m weird!” Cerizo said, with a laugh.

She made it a regular practice to have her two children learn a new word every day and use it at the dinner table. Now adults living outside Hawaii, they still check in with her via Zoom to share a new word, said Cerizo, an employment adviser and active member of the Toastmasters International club.

She was eliminated in the seventh round, still upset with herself that she misspelled “bulgur,” because a package of the grain is often used in her kitchen.

Cerizo said she supports the work of the Alzheimer’s Association because she counts herself among the sector trying to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. She also joined the contest in support of Riley Yoshio Regan, who started the spelling bee to honor his grandfather, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. The spelling bee became a statewide Kiwanis project carried on by his parents.

Lynn Araki-Regan, the event coordinator and a spelling judge, said her son Riley originated the idea in 2022 to help his grandfather improve his memory and overall mental fitness. Enthusiasm for the bee drew about 80 contestants this year, and about 100 participants in each of the previous events.

In an email interview, Riley Regan said he was very close to his grandfather, and first noticed the older man had become grumpier and more withdrawn in 2017; he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2021.

Determined to help his grandpa slow the progression of his disease, Riley said, “I encouraged him to review old photo albums with me and to listen to nostalgic music. As a previous spelling bee champ, I also took note of an article highlighting spelling’s ability to preserve mental sharpness.

“To promote mental fitness, I began to challenge grandpa to spell words. Eventually, it led to my organizing a kupuna spelling bee in 2022 so that grandpa wouldn’t be the only one to benefit. While he was spelling, his face lit up. He was proud to be able to spell words properly.”

Regan said the contestants in the inaugural competition were excited to compete, especially after many events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many said they wanted to participate to keep their minds sharp and because they enjoyed the challenge, and looked forward to the fun of vying for great prizes.

Regan is studying psycho-­biology at University of California, Los Angeles in the hope of becoming a physician specializing in geriatrics.

The top three cash prizes ($2,000, $1,000 and $500) were donated by Jacquie Maly, a retired professor emerita at Windward Community College and a former Kiwanis executive officer. The grand champion received a trip for two to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies, 50,0000 in Hawaiian Airlines Miles and a four-night stay in Las Vegas. Other winners also were awarded Hawaiian miles.