Math Teacher Wins UK Scrabble Title, Shares Winning Tips

A math teacher from Solihull just proved that dedication and smart strategy can beat even the most experienced competitors at their own game.

Natalie Zolty, 61, claimed the top spot at the UK Open Scrabble competition in Reading, England on January 9th, winning 12 out of 15 games. She outsmarted reigning champion Gary Oliver with the word "zendiks," racking up 1,000 more points than her closest competitor.

Here's the surprising part: Natalie admits she doesn't even know what many of her winning words mean. She spends hours daily studying thousands of dictionary entries and practicing 500 anagrams while watching TV, treating word learning like the systematic problem-solving she teaches in her math classes.

Her biggest tip for aspiring champions? Start small with two-letter words. "It's not too difficult to learn all of them," Natalie explained. "Some of them sound weird and wonderful, like Xi and Za, so learn those two-letter words and you'll be surprised at how you can rack up points."

There are 107 acceptable two-letter words in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary. The highest scoring ones include Za (11 points), Qi (11 points), and Ax (9 points).

Natalie picked up the hobby on Facebook 17 years ago and has steadily climbed the competitive ranks. Her strategy focuses on holding onto low-value one-point letters to create seven-tile "bonus" plays worth an extra 50 points, averaging two and a half bonuses per game.

Why This Inspires

Beyond her personal victory, Natalie noticed something troubling at competitions: very few women compete at the highest levels, and no woman has ever won the world championships. She's hoping her win encourages more women to try the game.

"I think women are a bit less competitive than men. Maybe they have a lot less free time," she said. "But I do wish more women would take it up. It's great for your brain and keeping you thinking."

Her practical advice includes not being afraid to exchange tiles and forfeit a turn when stuck with difficult letters. She also recommends learning "hooks," letters that transform existing words into new ones, like adding H to the front of "airline" to make "hairline."

A mother of one who balances teaching with tournament play, Natalie proves you don't need to be a linguistics expert or have endless free time to excel at competitive word games. You just need curiosity, consistent practice, and a willingness to learn something new every day.