Shortly after then-CEO Thompson announced that he would depart in 2020, veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher—who at the time was launching a Times podcast—invited Levien to her home in Washington, D.C. The Games app was downloaded 10 million times in 2023, and its puzzles were played 11 billion times last year, led by Wordle’s 5.3 billion plays. Smith scoffs at journalism purists who have side-eyed the rise of “softer” business verticals, pointing out that Levien’s bundling strategy has kept the Times on a steady growth track—and, more importantly, provided a financial bulwark against the political pressure that has challenged other outlets.