Yeah, I know, but that's a modern construct that basically makes no sense. Supposedly the change came to eliminate confusion with burying the lead (heavy gray metal), something that no modern person does, nor any old fart like me either. If you spell it lede almost nobody will know what you're talking about, spell it lead and the meaning is obvious. Merriam-Webster and other sources still define lead story as "the item of news given the greatest prominence in a newspaper, magazine, or news broadcast", and I prefer it, Now if I could only kill off "competency"...if competence means "the ability of a criminal defendant to stand trial, as gauged by their mental ability to understand the proceedings and to assist defense lawyers", why the hell do we need to add another syllable? ;)