The spelling of the word "crotty" can be perplexing to those unfamiliar with its pronunciation. The IPA phonetic transcription for "crotty" is /ˈkrɒti/. The initial "cr" is pronounced as a consonant cluster, with the "c" and "r" sounds blending together. The vowel sound is "o" as in "hot", followed by the consonant sound "t" and the short "i" sound as in "bit". Overall, the spelling of "crotty" accurately reflects its unique pronunciation.