diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a767e08ce8..bed6ae53ce 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ To build from your own git repository:
     cd /home/me/myproject
     make --file=~/OpenROAD-flow-scripts/flow/Makefile DESIGN_CONFIG=somefolder/config.mk ...
 
+## Running a quick smoke-test of ORFS on your own Verilog
+
+You can [run ORFS on your own Verilog files](./flow/designs/asap7/minimal/README.md)
+without setting up a project or moving your Verilog files and even learn
+a thing or two about floorplan, placement and routing
+before you create an .sdc file and a config.mk file.
+
 ## Citing this Work
 
 If you use this software in any published work, we would appreciate a citation!
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/README.md b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb9e536a26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+# Report on a design prior to setting up a configuration
+
+This configuration allows running synthesis and floorplan
+to extract some basic information useful when setting
+up a config.mk file from scratch.
+
+Below, instructions are given to run synthesis, floorplan, placement and
+global route, then examine the results in the GUI to see what a
+realistic floorplan and settings might be for your Verilog files.
+
+The example below uses the designs/src/aes/*.v Verilog files, but
+the Verilog files do not have to be located in the OpenROAD-flow-scripts
+git repository, adjust the VERILOG_FILES argument to point to your Verilog
+files:
+
+```
+make DESIGN_CONFIG=designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk DESIGN_NAME=aes_cipher_top VERILOG_FILES="$(ls designs/src/aes/*.v | xargs)" clean_synth synth gui_synth
+```
+
+Where, the exploratory config.mk file to be replaced
+by a design specific config.mk file is:
+
+```
+DESIGN_CONFIG=designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk
+```
+
+Verilog files that to be investigated are specified by:
+
+```
+VERILOG_FILES="$(ls designs/src/aes/*.v | xargs)"
+```
+
+The Verilog top module name is specified by:
+
+```
+DESIGN_NAME=aes_cipher_top
+```
+
+Synthesis cleaned and re-run by:
+
+```
+clean_synth synth
+```
+
+The GUI is opened by the makefile target:
+
+```
+gui_synth
+```
+
+## `make gui_synth` OpenROAD GUI information
+
+![Alt text](gui_synth.png)
+
+The module hierarchy can here be examined to give a sense of
+area required for the default placement density.
+
+## `make gui_floorplan` OpenROAD GUI information
+
+Next to iterate on floorplan settings:
+
+```
+make DESIGN_CONFIG=designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk DESIGN_NAME=aes_cipher_top VERILOG_FILES="$(ls designs/src/aes/*.v | xargs)" clean_floorplan floorplan gui_floorplan
+```
+
+A few more things can be learned from looking at this minimal floorplan:
+
+- The pins are placed randomly on the edges and at least there
+  is enough space on the edges to fit the top level pins
+- Check that the floorplan size is not completely unreasonable and
+  at least there is a chance that this design could go through
+  placement with this density.
+
+![Alt text](gui_floorplan.png)
+
+## `make gui_place` OpenROAD GUI information
+
+Next to iterate on placement settings:
+
+```
+make DESIGN_CONFIG=designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk DESIGN_NAME=aes_cipher_top VERILOG_FILES="$(ls designs/src/aes/*.v | xargs)" clean_place place gui_place
+```
+
+![Alt text](gui_place_heatmap.png)
+
+![Alt text](gui_place_module.png)
+
+From placement more information about how to set up the config.mk
+file can be learned:
+
+- Examine estimated routing congestion to get a sense if there
+  is a chance that the design can be routed.
+- Get a sense of size and location of modules
+
+## CTS(Clock tree Synthesis)
+
+After placement, CTS (clock tree synthesis is run). However the minimal design does
+not have a clock, so CTS runs quickly, but does nothing.
+
+## `make gui_grt` OpenROAD GUI information
+
+For non-trivial designs, some more work will need to be done in floorplan and
+placement before there is a chance that global routing will complete:
+
+```
+make DESIGN_CONFIG=designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk DESIGN_NAME=aes_cipher_top VERILOG_FILES="$(ls designs/src/aes/*.v | xargs)" clean_place place gui_place
+```
+
+![Alt text](gui_grt.png)
+
+Global routing congestion heatmap can be examined in the GUI.
+
+## Next steps
+
+Start creating a config.mk file for your design, write an .sdc file to
+examine timing and find reasonable values for the CORE_UTILIZATION
+and PLACE_DENSITY for your design considering routing congestion.
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..50baff9948
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+export DESIGN_NICKNAME = minimal
+export SDC_FILE = $(FLOW_HOME)/designs/asap7/minimal/empty.sdc
+export PLATFORM = asap7
+# Faster build and more information in GUI with hierarchical synthesis
+export SYNTH_HIERARCHICAL ?= 1
+# Keep all modules so we can examine the full hierarchy
+export MAX_UNGROUP_SIZE ?= 0
+
+# Set the core utilization to 10% for the minimal design to
+# maximize chances of getting an initial floorplan. This
+# provides a generous area, yet not so big as to make making
+# floorplan problematic
+export CORE_UTILIZATION ?= 10
+# Low placement density to maximize chances of getting a floorplan
+export PLACE_DENSITY ?= 0.20
+
+# This won't work with an empty .sdc file
+export SKIP_REPORT_METRICS = 1
+
+# Faster build, remove these in your own config.mk
+export SKIP_CTS_REPAIR_TIMING = 1
+export REMOVE_ABC_BUFFERS = 1
+export SKIP_INCREMENTAL_REPAIR = 1
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/empty.sdc b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/empty.sdc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..544afd58e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/empty.sdc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Creating a basic .sdc file is beyond the scope of
+# simple configuration, much as writing Verilog is.
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_floorplan.png b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_floorplan.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..59690cf85f
Binary files /dev/null and b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_floorplan.png differ
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_grt.png b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_grt.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f44d1d657
Binary files /dev/null and b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_grt.png differ
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_place_heatmap.png b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_place_heatmap.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d4c891ab3d
Binary files /dev/null and b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_place_heatmap.png differ
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_plcae_module.png b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_plcae_module.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4ab4242b05
Binary files /dev/null and b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_plcae_module.png differ
diff --git a/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_synth.png b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_synth.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..54d8e821ef
Binary files /dev/null and b/flow/designs/asap7/minimal/gui_synth.png differ
diff --git a/flow/designs/gf180/ibex/autotuner.json b/flow/designs/gf180/ibex/autotuner.json
index 6d3abe0566..215d81ba59 100644
--- a/flow/designs/gf180/ibex/autotuner.json
+++ b/flow/designs/gf180/ibex/autotuner.json
@@ -24,14 +24,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "CORE_MARGIN": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            2,
-            2
-        ],
-        "step": 0
-    },
     "CELL_PAD_IN_SITES_GLOBAL_PLACEMENT": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
@@ -64,14 +56,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "_PINS_DISTANCE": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            1,
-            1
-        ],
-        "step": 1
-    },
     "CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
diff --git a/flow/designs/gf180/jpeg/autotuner.json b/flow/designs/gf180/jpeg/autotuner.json
index 2b3ecdf325..a5bc053aa1 100644
--- a/flow/designs/gf180/jpeg/autotuner.json
+++ b/flow/designs/gf180/jpeg/autotuner.json
@@ -24,14 +24,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "CORE_MARGIN": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            2,
-            2
-        ],
-        "step": 0
-    },
     "CELL_PAD_IN_SITES_GLOBAL_PLACEMENT": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
@@ -64,14 +56,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "_PINS_DISTANCE": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            1,
-            1
-        ],
-        "step": 1
-    },
     "CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/autotuner.json b/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/autotuner.json
index 2d79614ae7..23316d901a 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/autotuner.json
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/aes/autotuner.json
@@ -24,14 +24,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "CORE_MARGIN": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            2,
-            2
-        ],
-        "step": 0
-    },
     "CELL_PAD_IN_SITES_GLOBAL_PLACEMENT": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
@@ -64,14 +56,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "_PINS_DISTANCE": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            1,
-            1
-        ],
-        "step": 1
-    },
     "CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/autotuner.json b/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/autotuner.json
index f9d5cd77ff..a68e1f0f24 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/autotuner.json
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/ibex/autotuner.json
@@ -24,14 +24,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "CORE_MARGIN": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            2,
-            2
-        ],
-        "step": 0
-    },
     "CELL_PAD_IN_SITES_GLOBAL_PLACEMENT": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
@@ -64,14 +56,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "_PINS_DISTANCE": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            1,
-            1
-        ],
-        "step": 1
-    },
     "CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
diff --git a/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/autotuner.json b/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/autotuner.json
index f59cf3b95e..49d4cea07c 100644
--- a/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/autotuner.json
+++ b/flow/designs/sky130hd/jpeg/autotuner.json
@@ -24,14 +24,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "CORE_MARGIN": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            2,
-            2
-        ],
-        "step": 0
-    },
     "CELL_PAD_IN_SITES_GLOBAL_PLACEMENT": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
@@ -64,14 +56,6 @@
         ],
         "step": 0
     },
-    "_PINS_DISTANCE": {
-        "type": "int",
-        "minmax": [
-            1,
-            1
-        ],
-        "step": 1
-    },
     "CTS_CLUSTER_SIZE": {
         "type": "int",
         "minmax": [
diff --git a/flow/test/test_outoftree.sh b/flow/test/test_outoftree.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..68a73e89c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flow/test/test_outoftree.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# deltaDebug.py integration smoke-test, run from ORFS/flow folder.
+#
+# Exit with error if anything is amiss, including evaluation of
+# variable names such as $(false), unused variables, etc.
+set -x -ue -o pipefail
+
+cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
+rm -rf results/outoftree/
+mkdir -p results/outoftree/
+cd results/outoftree/
+cp ../../designs/src/aes/* .
+make --file=../../Makefile DESIGN_CONFIG=../../designs/asap7/minimal/config.mk DESIGN_NAME=aes_cipher_top VERILOG_FILES="$(ls *.v | xargs)" grt