He’s played Scrabble since he was 5. How he became a national champ

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mack Meller strolled into the Sedona Taphouse with a brown leather briefcase.

It had been a while since the 25-year-old joined the weekly gathering of the Lexington Scrabble club. Travel had taken up most of his time recently, but on a recent Sunday, Meller walked right into the restaurant, sat down, and began playing like he had never missed a meeting.

Others in attendance didn’t forget him either.

“He’s the national champion,” people whispered at the other end of the table where Meller sat, alerting newcomers to the club that the nation’s best Scrabble player was there.

Meller opened his briefcase and passed to the duo of players to his left an $80 Scrabble board, a timer and a bag printed with an American flag and full of professional-grade Scrabble tiles. Meller di