Left-handers don't have that advantage. Ms. Ripstein is a righty. Ms. Ripstein has finished in the top three 12 times, and in the top five 18 times, without ever capturing the grand prize. Contestants use all sort of tricks to gain an edge during the tournament. The only problem with this tip is that none of the top solvers seem to follow it.
Many contestants also bring their favorite pens.
Others use pencils to make correcting wrong answers easier. Some like to sit near the top solvers, who often finish first, to know when time is running out. Others feel intimidated by them and sit as far away as possible. Perhaps the best advice to any solver is to remember that crosswords are not an intelligence test. They're simply a game, which some people are able to perform faster than others.