Reverse Engineering an ASIC: From GDS to Circuit
Jane Street's puzzle challenges you to reverse engineer an ASIC from its GDS file. This solution walks through the process: understanding GDS layout files, identifying the SkyWater 130nm process from cell names, and mapping polygons to transistors and logic gates. By abstracting cells to their logical functions and tracing connections, you can recover the circuit and find the input that triggers the success output. A clear, visual guide for puzzle solvers and chip enthusiasts.
Along the way, it dawned on me that the road to the solution could be illustrated in particularly pretty terms, so here is my attempt at that.
- anitil
This is so cool, and so beautiful! You've done a fantastic job on this. This is the sort of site I wish I were capable of producing, it reminds me of the ciechanow site [0] in that it's both really educational and beautiful at the same time. It's answered questions I had like 'why is power always at the top and ground always at the bottom?'
And I love the way that you solved it by understanding really well what each section does. I worked out bits and pieces of each one, but I realise now that I was missing a lot of clues that were right in front of me (for example that it represented an 11x11 grid, the operation of what I called 'the blob' on the lower right etc). And so far as I can tell you're the only one to find `TWO''NOT TOUCH`
Edit to ask: How did you find the `TWO''NOT TOUCH` output? I assume you worked it out via some structure? I gave up after 4 messages not realising it was possible to get more.
[0] https://ciechanow.ski/ - I particularly liked the one about the mechanical watch mechanisms, but honestly pick any
- tolugenius
Off topic a bit but how do I design pages like this with github pages? I'm always very impressed by how far sites can design wise with pages but I'm still newish to it and not sure how to get there.
- naveen_venk
amazing site. will read it later today
I particpated in this contest. would like to talk to you. can you share email or something ?