Auctioneers are in a class of their own, clocking roughly 250 words per minute. And commentators, who need to keep up with fast-paced play, may even outpace auctioneers.

A decent typist can do 80 words per minute. Mark Kislingbury can hit more than four times that speed. He’s the fastest in the world, and getting faster. The 53-year-old Texan holds the world ...

"You have to graduate with 225 words a minute, with 95 percent accuracy," said Merilee. "That's the standard." Merilee has even had quick bursts of up to 400 words per minute.