Wordle players faced a formidable challenge on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with puzzle #1715 delivering a word that stumped many and earned a “very challenging” rating from The New York Times’ WordleBot analysis. The daily brain teaser, hosted by the Times since its acquisition from creator Josh Wardle, continued its streak of testing vocabulary, logic and persistence as enthusiasts worldwide logged in for their morning ritual.

The solution to today’s Wordle is **HYDRA**, a five-letter noun rooted in Greek mythology. According to Webster’s New World College Dictionary, it refers to a multi-headed serpent slain by Heracles (Hercules) in one of his famous labors, or more broadly to any persistent problem that multiplies when addressed. In modern pop culture, HYDRA also names a secretive villainous organization in Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, known for its motto “Cut off one head, two more shall take its place.”

WordleBot reported that the puzzle took testers an average of 5.3 guesses out of six in easy mode — bordering on the game’s upper difficulty threshold — with some players hitting the limit or failing entirely. Hard mode scores averaged slightly better at 3.9 to 4.0 attempts for skilled solvers, but the word’s uncommon letters and lack of repeats contributed to the frustration.

Hints circulated widely across gaming sites and social media to guide players without spoiling the answer outright. Mashable offered a subtle clue: “A mythological creature.” Parade described it as “the many-headed serpent slain by Heracles in Greek mythology.” CNET noted it could refer to “a mythological serpent” or “a batch of Marvel Comics bad guys.” Tom’s Guide and other outlets emphasized structural details: the word starts with H, ends with A, contains one vowel (Y acting as a sometimes vowel) and no repeated letters.

Additional tips included the absence of double letters, a consonant start and an ending vowel. Forbes contributor Erik Kain shared his solving path, starting with STALE (leaving 202 possibilities) before narrowing it down, joking about nearly choosing HARDY instead. Many players reported luck with openers like SLATE or ADIEU, though uncommon consonants like H and D tripped up early guesses.

The puzzle’s difficulty sparked lively discussion on Reddit’s r/wordle community, where users posted grids and commiserated over near-misses. One thread highlighted the word’s dual meaning, with some solvers arriving via mythology references and others through comic book knowledge. No widespread complaints emerged about unfairness, unlike occasional past puzzles accused of obscure terms.

Wordle #1715 arrived amid the game’s enduring popularity, now approaching its fifth anniversary since launch in October 2021. The Times maintains a streak counter, shareable grids with emoji squares (green for correct position, yellow for wrong position, black for absent) and a simple black-and-white interface that keeps focus on deduction rather than flashy graphics.

For those who prefer strategy, experts recommend starting words rich in common vowels and consonants — ADIEU, AUDIO, CRANE or SLATE — to eliminate possibilities quickly. Hard mode forces players to reuse revealed letters in subsequent guesses, increasing challenge but sharpening skills.

The daily reset occurs at midnight local time, with the puzzle accessible free at nytimes.com/games/wordle. No login is required for basic play, though a Times subscription unlocks additional games like Connections, Strands and the Mini Crossword.

As February draws to a close, Wordle continues delivering bite-sized mental workouts that unite millions. Saturday’s HYDRA proved a fitting capstone to the month, blending ancient lore with modern gaming in a puzzle that rewarded persistence and broad knowledge.

Players who missed it can still practice similar words or await Sunday’s challenge. The game’s design ensures one puzzle per day worldwide, preventing spoilers through timed release and share restrictions.

In a digital era of endless distractions, Wordle’s simplicity — five letters, six tries, no ads — remains its strength. Whether HYDRA felled your streak or boosted your confidence, it reminded fans why the game endures: the quiet thrill of cracking the code, one guess at a time.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena BMPS -6.76%decrease; red down pointing triangle pledged to return around 16 billion euros ($19 billion) to shareholders over the next five years and detailed targets for higher earnings as it progresses with the integration of recently acquired peer Mediobanca MB -6.24%decrease; red down pointing triangle.

The Italian group, which is considered the world’s oldest bank in operation and is still partly state-owned following a bailout, pursued its Milanese peer in a bid to marry Mediobanca’s heft in investment banking and wealth management with its own retail banking strength. The tie-up, which created the country’s third-largest lender by assets, is among the largest in a wave of consolidation sweeping the European banking sector.

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Although Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turned net buyers in February, picking up Indian equities worth Rs 22,615 crore during the month, Friday’s sharp sell-off has cast doubt on the sustainability of that trend reversal. With the Iran-Israel conflict escalating over the weekend, risk appetite could take a back seat, prompting foreign investors to adopt a wait-and-watch approach before committing fresh flows to emerging markets.

The conflict in the Middle East has triggered a risk-off situation in financial markets. It remains to be seen how the conflict will evolve and impact crude and currency markets, Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments said, commenting on the crisis. In his view, FIIs are likely to wait and watch how things evolve before making further commitments in emerging markets.

Echoing a similar sentiment, Nachiketa Sawrikar, Fund Manager at Artha Bharat Global Multiplier Fund said he expects broad selling of risky assets across both the developed and emerging markets against the backdrop of a USA-Israel attack on Iran.

He said trading activity appears increasingly tilted toward US securities, with a parallel shift in flows toward bullion, signalling the possibility of capital moving out of emerging markets. “We would expect the ongoing rally in USA treasuries, oil, gold, and silver to extend,” the expert added.

Sawrikar also sees a deeper impact of war on India, accelerating the foreign capital outflow because of its reliance on imported crude oil. “Higher crude oil prices could widen the current account deficit, stoking domestic inflation, pressure the rupee,” he warned.

Vijayakumar said FIIs buying on most days in February indicated a clear shift in their investment strategy towards India. “There are variations in sectoral investments in February. FPIs had sold heavily in IT stocks due to the Anthropic shock and the continuing weakness in this segment. But they were buyers in financial services and capital goods,” the Geojit analyst said.
While FPIs invested Rs 19,782 crores in the secondary markets, around Rs 2,832 crores was pumped-in the primary market.On Friday, FII sold shares worth Rs 7,536.36 crore, triggering a massive sell-off. The benchmark indices Nifty and the BSE Sensex, ended with deep cuts on Friday amid selling pressure across the board. Auto, financials and FMCG were major laggards while the IT sector saw selective buying action. In a volatile session, the broader Nifty edged lower by 317.90 points, or 1.25%, to close at 25,178.65, while the 30-share Sensex plunged by 961.42 points, or 1.17%, to settle at 81,287.19.

FPI trends
February recorded inflows after a sharp January exodus of Rs 35,962 crore. FIIs are still net sellers in 2026 at Rs 13,347 crore.

In 2025, the FII buying trends remained patchy, but the overall trend was bearish. They took out Rs 1,66,286 crore from Indian markets as trade deal delay and premium valuations weighed on the sentiments.

FIIs were net sellers in December, offloading domestic shares worth Rs 22,611 crore.

April–June period of 2025 witnessed inflows totalling Rs 38,673 crore. Meanwhile, massive selling to the tune of Rs 1,16,574 crore happened during the January–March quarter.

Israel, with U.S. support, launched a series of airstrikes early Saturday targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top political and military figures in a bold operation aimed at dismantling the Islamic Republic’s regime, Israeli officials said. Explosions echoed across Tehran and other key sites, marking a dramatic escalation in the longstanding conflict that could reshape the Middle East.

The strikes, described by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz as a “pre-emptive attack” after months of joint planning with Washington, focused on Khamenei’s downtown Tehran compound, President Masoud Pezeshkian’s residence and headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Satellite imagery from Airbus captured multiple buildings destroyed amid rising smoke at Khamenei’s fortified site, with assessments indicating a direct hit. Iranian state media reported blasts near an elementary school, claiming civilian casualties, though independent verification was unavailable due to communication disruptions.

A senior Israeli official told Reuters that the entire Iranian regime was targeted, including Khamenei, Pezeshkian and IRGC commanders like Mohammad Pakpour. Channel 12 in Israel reported a high likelihood that Ali Shamkhani, Khamenei’s advisor overseeing the nuclear program, was eliminated in the strikes. Other potential targets included Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and armed forces Chief of Staff Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, framed the operation as essential to “remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran” and empower the Iranian people to overthrow their leaders. “The time has come for all sections of the people in Iran to topple the Ayatollah regime,” he said, emphasizing strikes on nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Qom, Kermanshah and Karaj.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed American involvement in a video posted to Truth Social, announcing “major combat operations” to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime,” Trump stated, urging Iranians: “The hour of your freedom is at hand. Take over your government.” A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said the strikes involved over 500 aircraft and were expected to span several days, focusing on military targets but with clear regime-change intent.

Iranian officials denounced the assault as “barbaric aggression.” Military spokesman Amir Hatami promised a “decisive response,” and the IRGC launched a “first wave” of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Tel Aviv, northern Israel and U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. One civilian in northern Israel was injured by shrapnel, and a fatality was reported in Abu Dhabi from debris. Explosions near the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, prompted air raid sirens across the Gulf.

Khamenei’s whereabouts remain unknown. Reports indicate the 86-year-old leader was evacuated to a secure location before the strikes, with Iranian media claiming he and Pezeshkian are safe. Tehran denied Pakpour’s death, asserting senior officials are in “perfect health.”

The operation, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” by some U.S. sources, follows a 12-day air war in June 2025 and stalled nuclear negotiations. Tensions escalated amid Iran’s suppression of domestic protests, with reports of thousands killed, and its support for proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas. Khamenei had warned Israel of “severe punishment” Friday, accusing it of striking residential areas.

International reactions were swift. Russia and China condemned the strikes as “illegal aggression,” while the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting. European leaders urged restraint, and Gulf states like the UAE reserved the right to respond to Iranian missiles. In the U.S., congressional leaders received briefings, with bipartisan support emerging amid calls for caution.

Oil prices surged 15% on fears of Strait of Hormuz disruptions, and global stocks plummeted. Airspaces closed across the region, grounding flights and stranding travelers.

Humanitarian concerns mounted. Amnesty International demanded civilian protections, warning of risks in urban areas. The exiled Iranian crown prince called for protests, labeling it a “moment of destiny.”

Social media captured jubilation among some Iranians and diaspora, with chants of “freedom” in Tehran videos. Analysts like Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment predicted potential full-scale war, noting regime-change ambitions raise stakes.

As waves of attacks continue, the region braces for retaliation. Trump and Netanyahu plan further briefings, while Iran’s IRGC mobilizes reserves. The strikes thrust the Middle East into uncharted territory, with global implications for security, energy and alliances.

More than 651,000 bottles of Valley Springs Artesian Gold bottled water have been recalled after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined they were produced under “insanitary conditions,” raising potential health concerns for consumers.

Valley Springs Artesian Gold, LLC, a Wisconsin-based bottler, voluntarily initiated the recall on February 6, 2026, according to an FDA enforcement report. The agency classified the action as Class II on February 26, indicating that use of or exposure to the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or the probability of serious adverse health effects is remote.

The recall affects approximately 651,148 units of bottled water sold under the Valley Springs brand. Specific products include one-gallon and multi-gallon jugs, though exact container sizes and UPC codes vary across affected lots. The FDA’s announcement did not detail the precise nature of the insanitary conditions, such as contamination sources, facility hygiene issues or specific pathogens, but emphasized that the water was bottled in an environment failing to meet sanitary standards.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall, based on available information from the FDA and company statements. Consumers who purchased Valley Springs water are urged to check their products and discard or return them for a full refund. The recalled items were distributed primarily in limited regions, though nationwide availability through retail chains or wholesalers cannot be ruled out.

The FDA’s recall database entry lists the action under Event ID 98410, accessible via the agency’s Industry Recall Enforcement Reports system. Affected products were packaged in plastic jugs, with some bearing specific UPCs such as 0 31193-00601 2 for certain one-gallon sizes, according to supplemental reports. Quantities include large volumes: one entry notes 263,440 units of a particular size.

Class II recalls typically involve situations where health risks are low but warrant removal from the market. In this case, potential issues could stem from microbial contamination, chemical residues or foreign materials introduced during bottling due to inadequate sanitation protocols. Bottled water must comply with strict FDA regulations under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including current good manufacturing practices that mandate clean facilities, proper equipment sterilization and quality control testing.

Valley Springs Artesian Gold sources its water from artesian wells, marketing it as naturally filtered and pure. The company has not issued a public statement detailing corrective actions, but the voluntary recall suggests cooperation with regulators to address the violation promptly. The FDA continues to monitor the situation and may require additional inspections or testing before production resumes.

Consumers with questions can contact the FDA’s consumer complaint coordinators or the company directly, though specific contact information was not immediately detailed in the enforcement notice. The agency advises checking lot codes and expiration dates on bottles, as only certain production runs are affected.

This recall highlights ongoing challenges in the bottled water industry, where occasional lapses in sanitation can lead to large-scale actions. Similar incidents in recent years have involved foreign substances, bacterial contamination or labeling errors, prompting heightened scrutiny of production facilities.

Experts recommend that households review pantry stocks and refrigerator contents for recalled products. If consumed, most individuals are unlikely to experience severe effects given the Class II designation, but those with compromised immune systems should exercise caution.

The FDA encourages reporting any adverse events related to the product through its MedWatch program. As investigations continue, updates may appear on the agency’s recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts page.

No widespread distribution beyond certain states has been confirmed, but vigilance is advised nationwide. Retailers that carried Valley Springs products are participating in the recall by removing items from shelves and notifying customers.

The incident underscores the importance of regulatory oversight in ensuring food and beverage safety. Bottled water, often perceived as a safe alternative to tap, must meet rigorous standards to prevent such issues.

As of February 28, 2026, the recall remains active with no reported expansions or additional affected brands. Consumers should stay informed through official FDA channels for any developments.

A growing number of hiring managers say that they are seeing a surprising new trend from Gen Z applicants: bringing a parent into the job interview process, sometimes even onto Zoom calls.

“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary joined FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on ‘Varney & Co.‘ to weigh in on the practice and what it signals to employers.

For O’Leary, the issue isn’t generational stereotypes, it’s about independence. In today’s competitive labor market, he argues, employers are looking for candidates who can think, decide and execute on their own. When a parent enters the room, he says, that independence immediately comes into question.

“First question I’d have to the son or daughter, I’d say, do you want me to hire your mother or you? What’s she doing here?” O’Leary said, “That resume goes right into the garbage in one of my operations.”

He said the situation recently happened to him during a virtual interview.

“It happened to me on a Zoom call, and I just said, this isn’t going to work… Your mom is not gonna be part of this discussion,” he said.

LARRY KUDLOW: WHY ARE GEN Z-ERS SO DOUR, DEPRESSED, AND UNEMPLOYED?

Beyond optics, O’Leary views the move as a warning sign for employers evaluating risk.

“It means you can’t do this on your own… It’s a horrific signal,” O’Leary said, calling it “a really, really bad idea.”

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The markets traded under sustained pressure through the week and ended on a distinctly negative note. After attempting a modest recovery early on, the Nifty faced persistent selling at higher levels and drifted lower as the week progressed. The index oscillated within a defined range of 25,771.45 on the higher side and 25,141.30 on the lower side. Volatility cooled off , with the India VIX declining 4.60% to 13.70 on a weekly basis. The Nifty closed the week with a net loss of 392.60 points (-1.54%).

The broader technical structure remains corrective within a larger uptrend. On the weekly chart, Nifty continues to hover just above its 50-week moving average (25,047), while staying well above the 100-week (24,422) and 200-week (21,571) averages, preserving the long-term bullish structure.

However, the index is trading below the 20- week average (25,756) and near the lower Bollinger Band (25,065), indicating shortterm weakness. The price action over the past several weeks resembles a mild descending consolidation within a broader rising structure, suggesting a loss of upside momentum. A sustained move above 25,800 would be required to negate the present short-term weakness and open the door for a directional upmove. On the downside, a decisive violation of the 25,000–24,950 zone could trigger incremental corrective pressure toward lower supports.With Tuesday, March 03, being a trading holiday on account of Holi, the truncated week may begin on a cautious note amid prevailing softness. Immediate resistance levels are seen at 25,350 and 25,550. Key supports are placed at 25,050 and 24,700.

The weekly RSI stands at 46.27; it remains neutral but tilted lower and does not show any visible bullish or bearish divergence against price. The weekly MACD remains below its signal line but is in positive territory. The index has formed a relatively widebodied bearish candle on the weekly chart, reflecting distribution at higher levels.
From a pattern perspective, the Nifty appears to be undergoing a time-wise consolidation after a prolonged upmove. The index is testing the confluence of the lower Bollinger Band and the 50-week moving average, a zone that could offer intermediate support. Failure to hold this band could lead to a deeper retracement toward the 100- week average. The broader higher-top–higher-bottom structure remains intact on the long-term chart, but near-term price behavior suggests a pause with corrective bias but not any structural damage on the technical front at present.
In the coming truncated week, a cautious and selective approach would be prudent. Traders should avoid aggressive fresh longs until the index reclaims levels above 25,800 with strength. At the same time, any breach of 25,000 must be monitored closely for follow-through weakness. Protecting existing gains, maintaining tight stop-losses, and focusing on stock-specific opportunities with relative strength will be essential. The most effective approach for the week would be to stay measured, nimble, and responsive to key levels rather than anticipating a directional move prematurely.
In our look at Relative Rotation Graphs®, we compared various sectors against the CNX500 (NIFTY 500 Index), representing over 95% of the free-float market cap of allthe listed stocks.

Relative Rotation Graphs (RRG) show that the Nifty Energy Index and the Infrastructure Index have rolled inside the leading quadrant. Along with this, the Nifty Financial Services, PSE, Nifty Bank, PSU Bank, and the Nifty Metal Index are also inside the leading quadrant. This group is expected to collectively outperform the broader Nifty 500 index.

The Nifty Services Sector Index has rolled inside the weakening quadrant. The Midcap 100, Auto, and IT Indices are also within this quadrant. These groups may see individual stock-specific moves; however, relative performance may slow.

While the Nifty Realty Index continues to languish inside the lagging quadrant, the FMCG Index is showing mild improvement in its relative momentum against the broader market while staying inside the lagging quadrant.

The Nifty Pharma Index has rolled back inside the improving quadrant. The Nifty Media Index is also inside the improving quadrant.

Important Note: RRG™ charts show the relative strength and momentum of a group of stocks. In the above Chart, they show relative performance against NIFTY500 Index (Broader Markets) and should not be used directly as buy or sell signals.

(The author Milan Vaishnav CMT, MSTA is Consulting Technical Analyst)

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)