The spelling of the word "cupps" can be confusing to some due to the doubled letters. Using IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced /kʌps/. The doubled letters indicate a short vowel sound and emphasize the consonant following it. The second "p" in "cupps" indicates that the word is spelled with two consonants to emphasize the sound. Overall, the spelling of "cupps" follows conventions in English where doubling consonants provides clear pronunciation cues.