Mack Meller
Mack Meller | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Meller in 2025 | |
| Born | 2000 (age 25–26) |
| Education | Columbia University |
| Occupation | Scrabble player |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Subscribers | 6.59 thousand |
| Views | 1.95 million |
| Last updated: August 3, 2026 | |
Mack Meller (born 2000) is an American competitive Scrabble player. He was the 2024 and 2026 North American national champion.
Scrabble career
[edit]Meller began playing Scrabble when he was four.[1] He soon displayed abilities well above his years, with Scrabble expert Joe Edley dubbing a ten-year-old Meller "the next champion".[1] At that age, he played his first tournament in Ardsley, New York, in 2010, and won the Division 3 title at the event.[2] In 2011, at age 11, he reportedly became the youngest Scrabble player to attain an "expert" 1600 rating.[3] He won his first Division 1 title in Stamford, Connecticut, at the end of the year.[2] By age 12, he was the highest-ranked player in North America under the age of 18.[1] He reached the 2000-rating mark at age 13 in 2013.[4]
Meller placed seventh at the North American national championship in both 2013 and 2014,[5] earning the No. 6 ranking in North America at age 14.[6] After 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] In 2024, he became the North American national champion, winning a best-of-five playoff against Ian Weinstein.[9] His title defense attempt ended as runner-up to Nigel Peltier in 2025.[10] In 2026, he triumphed again in the fifth game of five, this time against Orry Swift.[11]
Outside of competition, Meller makes videos about Scrabble on YouTube.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Meller grew up in Bedford, New York, in Westchester County, the son of Noel and Jessica Meller.[13] He was homeschooled through Stanford Online High School.[6] He graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University in 2020.[14] He later moved to Lexington, Kentucky.[4]
In other games, Meller won the KenKen tournament in Chappaqua, New York, in 2014.[6] He collaborates with Pete Muller in creating a monthly meta crossword,[15] and he placed second in Division D at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in 2025.[16]
References
[edit]- 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.
- 1 2 "Mack Meller Reaches 2000 at BAT". The Last Word. No. 28. May 2013. p. 18. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ↑ Buchman, Lisa (July 11, 2011). "Bedford Boy Becomes Youngest Scrabble Expert in Tournament History". Patch.com. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- 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.
- ↑ "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. - 1 2 3 Evans Greenberg, Dawn (January 13, 2015). "Local KenKen Champ Triumphs Again at Chappaqua Library Tournament". The Inside Press. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
- ↑ "Fort Wayne Hosts SCRABBLE Fans From Around The World". WBOI. August 11, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ↑ Fatsis, Stefan (August 1, 2017). "ATEMOYA to CUSHATS to SCIRRHI". Slate. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ↑ "2024 Scrabble Players Championship Finals - Mack Meller vs. Ian Weinstein - Full Series". NASPA Games. July 25, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Bhatia, Meher (August 28, 2025). "Portland player wins North American Scrabble Championship". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ↑ Goins, Madylin (July 29, 2026). "Scrabble grandmaster brings top prize back to Kentucky". Fox 56. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Fatsis, Stefan (November 15, 2023). "HORSEFEATHERSES!". Slate. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ↑ Hond, Paul (Winter 2017–18). "Letter Head". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ↑ "Latin Honors". Columbia University. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Muller Monthly Music Meta | Thanks!". Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ↑ "47th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament – Rankings by Rank". American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. 2025. Retrieved September 1, 2025.