Thanks for thinking of me
Pretty much all you say is true.
QI REALLY tightened up from the beginning.
The idea of "points for creative answers" stopped being Lying For Fun in later series, and became amusing answers refuted by Stephen Fry. Not surprising given the combined IQ of many of the guests.
And yes, I saw The Lovely Mark Gatiss episode. RIP Linda Smith.
He's not at his best on a panel show. Better on radio shows actually, which he has a huge reverence for. For which he has a huge reverence for? He is likey anyway, and it comes across.