The spelling of the phrase "play close vest" may seem confusing at first glance, but it is actually quite straightforward when broken down phonetically. The first word, "play," is spelled as it sounds: /pleɪ/. "Close" is similarly spelled phonetically as /kloʊs/, with the "s" indicating a soft "s" sound. Lastly, "vest" is spelled as /vɛst/, with the "e" indicating a short "e" sound. Altogether, the phrase is pronounced as /pleɪ kloʊs vɛst/.