"Split the map" type questions (in hide and seek)

I am rewatching season 9 at the moment (hide and seek in switzerland) and one thing that positivly surprised me again was the amount of questions that are not just a line being drawn on the map. There are things like tasks that the hider has to complete like sending audio from the train station and just more general questions like the price of a hotel nearby to get a rough idea of the area.

I feel like the questions in later seasons evolved more and more into just lines on a map.
Thermometers, the measuring category and tentacles were added while the tasks and more general questions were removed. There are much less questions based on "vibes" that the place gives off, much less guessing but instead just the same approach of trying to split the map in two halves over and over again.

I really feel like this is not just a case of everything being always better the old way but much more enjoying to watch. How do you feel about this?