Scrabble pro claims Spanish title without knowing the language

Nigel Richards, a New Zealand-born Scrabble prodigy based in Malaysia, has once again left the world of competitive Scrabble in awe. At the Spanish World Scrabble Championships held in Granada, he clinched the title, beating out over 150 competitors from 20 countries -- all without speaking a word of Spanish. This triumph is just the latest in a series of linguistic feats for Richards, who has spent nearly three decades dominating the global Scrabble scene. In the Spanish tournament, Richards demonstrated the same brilliance that previously saw him conquer the francophone Scrabble championship in 2015 and 2018, despite not knowing French. Richards' Spanish title further solidifies his legacy as a global Scrabble phenomenon, defying expectations and redefining the boundaries of what is possible in the game.