there are four crooked letters (s), four eyes (i) and two humpbacks (pp) in the spelling of Mississippi! That's how they taught us to spell it in parochial school back in the day. Here's how it goes, Mississippi -- Mi (crooked letter, crooked letter) I, (crooked letter, crooked letter) I and humpback, humpback I. I am sorry, but I could not resist this spelling mumble-jumble.