The spelling of the word "wast rivals" may seem confusing at first glance, but it can be easily deciphered using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). "Wast" is pronounced with a short "a" sound, as in "cat", and the "s" is pronounced like a "z". "Rivals" is pronounced with a long "i" sound, as in "eye", and the "al" is pronounced like "uhl". Therefore, the correct pronunciation of this phrase would be "wahst rahy-vuhls." Remembering to differentiate between the "s" and "z" sounds is the key to spelling this phrase correctly.