MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Two Minnesota students have been eliminated in the semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland.

Fourteen-year-old Anja Beth Swoap from Edina and 13-year-old Connor Gunsbury from Nisswa were both eliminated in Thursday's sixth round.

Swoap misspelled "weltschmerz" while Gunsbury stumbled on "pavonazzo."

Thirteen spellers have advanced to the finals scheduled for Thursday night.

The winner receives more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.

The week began with 275 spellers. They were whittled down to 41 semifinalists.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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