Mack Meller

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Mack Meller
Mack Meller at ACPT 2025 (cropped).jpg
Meller in 2025
Born2000 (age 24–25)
Education Columbia University
Occupation Scrabble player
Years active2010–present

Mack Meller (born 2000) is an American competitive Scrabble player. He was the 2024 North American national champion.

Contents

Life and career

Meller grew up in Bedford, New York, in Westchester County, the son of Noel and Jessica Meller. [1] His parents belonged to a local Scrabble club and introduced him to the game when he was four. [2] He soon displayed abilities well above his years, with Scrabble expert Joe Edley dubbing a ten-year-old Meller "the next champion". [2] At that age, he played his first tournament in Ardsley, New York, in 2010, and won the Division 3 title at the event. [3] In 2011, at age 11, he reportedly became the youngest Scrabble player to attain an "expert" 1600 rating. [4] He won his first Division 1 title in Stamford, Connecticut, at the end of the year. [3] By age 12, Meller was the highest-ranked player in North America under the age of 18. [2] He reached the 2000-rating mark at age 13 in 2013. [5]

Meller placed seventh at the North American national championship in both 2013 and 2014, [6] followed by a third-place finish in 2016. [7] He was the runner-up to Will Anderson in 2017, bringing him to the No. 3 ranking in North America. [8] That year, he enrolled in Columbia University. [1] He later moved to Lexington, Kentucky. [5] In 2024, he became the North American national champion, winning a best-of-five playoff against Ian Weinstein. [9] His title defense ended as runner-up to Nigel Peltier in 2025. [10]

Outside of competition, Meller makes videos about Scrabble on YouTube. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 Hond, Paul (Winter 2017–18). "Letter Head". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Brune, Adrian (May 23, 2018). "Could He Be the Youngest Scrabble Champ Ever?". Ozy Media. Archived from the original on May 27, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Mack Meller Reaches 2000 at BAT". The Last Word. No. 28. May 2013. p. 18. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  4. ↑ Buchman, Lisa (July 11, 2011). "Bedford Boy Becomes Youngest Scrabble Expert in Tournament History". Patch.com . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  5. 1 2 McMahon, Jake (August 4, 2025). "He's played Scrabble since he was 5. How this Lexington man became a national champ" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  6. ↑ "National Scrabble Championship-L, NV, July 20-24, 2013 (Final)". NASPA Games . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
    "National Scrabble Championship -, NY, August 9-13, 2014 (Final)". NASPA Games . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Fort Wayne Hosts SCRABBLE Fans From Around The World". WBOI. August 11, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  8. ↑ Fatsis, Stefan (August 1, 2017). "ATEMOYA to CUSHATS to SCIRRHI". Slate . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  9. ↑ "2024 Scrabble Players Championship Finals - Mack Meller vs. Ian Weinstein - Full Series". NASPA Games. July 25, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2025– via YouTube.
  10. ↑ Bhatia, Meher (August 28, 2025). "Portland player wins North American Scrabble Championship". Oregon Public Broadcasting . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  11. ↑ Fatsis, Stefan (November 15, 2023). "HORSEFEATHERSES!". Slate . Retrieved August 31, 2025.
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