diff --git a/compiler/bnode.nim b/compiler/bnode.nim
index 36a5fc7dc6..776dcf562e 100644
--- a/compiler/bnode.nim
+++ b/compiler/bnode.nim
@@ -595,6 +595,12 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
     ## `.bif`'s own filename pool plus the `ConfigRef`.
     result = lineInfoFromCursor(program, n.raw)
 
+  proc isAtom*(n: BNode): bool {.inline.} =
+    ## `ast.isAtom`, which is a pure `kind` test and so needs nothing from the
+    ## body scope. It exists here only because `ast.isAtom` is typed `PNode`;
+    ## the predicate itself is the same one.
+    result = n.kind >= nkNone and n.kind <= nkNilLit
+
   # ---- predicates shared with the `PNode` spelling ---------------------------
   #
   # `ast.canRaise` / `ast.canRaiseConservative` only ever look at a node's
diff --git a/compiler/ccgcalls.nim b/compiler/ccgcalls.nim
index 28819f607c..f0ce207932 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgcalls.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgcalls.nim
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ proc preventNrvo(p: BProc; dest, le, ri: PNode): bool =
     for r in sonsFrom(ri, 1):
       if isPartOf(dest, r, {pfStructural}) != arNo: return true
 
-proc hasNoInit(call: PNode): bool {.inline.} =
+proc hasNoInit(call: AnyNode): bool {.inline.} =
   result = call.firstSon.kind == nkSym and sfNoInit in call.firstSon.sym.flags
 
 proc isHarmlessStore(p: BProc; canRaise: bool; d: TLoc): bool =
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ proc fixupCall(p: BProc, le, ri: PNode, d: var TLoc,
 
 proc genBoundsCheck(p: BProc; arr, a, b: TLoc; arrTyp: PType)
 
-proc reifiedOpenArray(n: PNode): bool {.inline.} =
+proc reifiedOpenArray(n: AnyNode): bool {.inline.} =
   var x = n
   while true:
     case x.kind
@@ -447,7 +447,10 @@ proc potentialAlias(n: PNode, potentialWrites: seq[PNode]): bool =
     if p.aliases(n) != no or n.aliases(p) != no:
       return true
 
-proc skipTrivialIndirections(n: PNode): PNode =
+proc skipTrivialIndirections[T: AnyNode](n: T): T =
+  ## Explicitly generic rather than `(n: AnyNode): AnyNode`: two occurrences of
+  ## a type class in one signature are two INDEPENDENT parameters, so that
+  ## spelling would let the result type drift from the argument's.
   result = n
   while true:
     case result.kind
diff --git a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
index aa7b7d8c0c..b4a3f2542f 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
@@ -1357,13 +1357,13 @@ proc genBracketExpr(p: BProc; n: PNode; d: var TLoc) =
   else: internalError(p.config, n.info, "expr(nkBracketExpr, " & $ty.kind & ')')
   discard getTypeDesc(p.module, n.typ)
 
-proc isSimpleExpr(n: PNode): bool =
+proc isSimpleExpr(n: AnyNode): bool =
   # calls all the way down --> can stay expression based
   case n.kind
   of nkCallKinds, nkDotExpr, nkPar, nkTupleConstr,
       nkObjConstr, nkBracket, nkCurly, nkHiddenDeref, nkDerefExpr, nkHiddenAddr,
       nkHiddenStdConv, nkHiddenSubConv, nkConv, nkAddr:
-    for c in n:
+    for c in sons(n):
       if not isSimpleExpr(c): return false
     result = true
   of nkStmtListExpr:
@@ -2377,7 +2377,7 @@ proc rdSetElemLoc(conf: ConfigRef; a: TLoc, typ: PType; result: var Snippet) =
   if firstOrd(conf, setType) != 0:
     result = cOp(Sub, NimUint, result, cIntValue(firstOrd(conf, setType)))
 
-proc fewCmps(conf: ConfigRef; s: PNode): bool =
+proc fewCmps(conf: ConfigRef; s: AnyNode): bool =
   # this function estimates whether it is better to emit code
   # for constructing the set or generating a bunch of comparisons directly
   if s.kind != nkCurly: return false
@@ -3257,7 +3257,7 @@ proc genTupleConstr(p: BProc, n: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
       else:
         genAssignment(p, d, tmp, {})
 
-proc isConstClosure(n: PNode): bool {.inline.} =
+proc isConstClosure(n: AnyNode): bool {.inline.} =
   result = n.firstSon.kind == nkSym and isRoutine(n.firstSon.sym) and
       n.secondSon.kind == nkNilLit
 
diff --git a/compiler/ccgstmts.nim b/compiler/ccgstmts.nim
index 15d9c6e85b..6c13a67584 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgstmts.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgstmts.nim
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ proc registerTraverseProc(p: BProc, v: PSym) =
     p.module.preInitProc.procSec(cpsInit).addCallStmt(fnName, traverseProc)
     p.module.preInitProc.procSec(cpsInit).add("\n")
 
-proc isAssignedImmediately(conf: ConfigRef; n: PNode): bool {.inline.} =
+proc isAssignedImmediately(conf: ConfigRef; n: AnyNode): bool {.inline.} =
   if n.kind == nkEmpty:
     result = false
-  elif n.kind in nkCallKinds and n.firstSon != nil and n.firstSon.typ != nil and n.firstSon.typ.skipTypes(abstractInst).kind == tyProc:
+  elif n.kind in nkCallKinds and not n.firstSon.isNilNode and n.firstSon.typ != nil and n.firstSon.typ.skipTypes(abstractInst).kind == tyProc:
     if n.firstSon.kind == nkSym and sfConstructor in n.firstSon.sym.flags:
       result = true
     elif isInvalidReturnType(conf, n.firstSon.typ, true):
@@ -1039,9 +1039,9 @@ proc genStringCase(p: BProc, t: PNode, stringKind: TTypeKind, d: var TLoc) =
           cCall(eqFn, ra, rb)):
         p.s(cpsStmts).addGoto(rlabel)
 
-proc branchHasTooBigRange(b: PNode): bool =
+proc branchHasTooBigRange(b: AnyNode): bool =
   result = false
-  for it in b:
+  for it in sons(b):
     # last son is block
     if (it.kind == nkRange) and
         it.secondSon.intVal - it.firstSon.intVal > RangeExpandLimit:
@@ -1354,7 +1354,7 @@ proc genTryCpp(p: BProc, t: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
     linefmt(p, cpsStmts, "if (T$1_) std::rethrow_exception(T$1_);$n", [etmp])
     endSimpleBlock(p, scope)
 
-proc bodyCanRaise(p: BProc; n: PNode): bool =
+proc bodyCanRaise(p: BProc; n: AnyNode): bool =
   case n.kind
   of nkCallKinds:
     result = canRaiseDisp(p, n.firstSon)
@@ -1368,9 +1368,9 @@ proc bodyCanRaise(p: BProc; n: PNode): bool =
       nkMacroDef, nkTemplateDef, nkLambda, nkDo, nkFuncDef:
     result = false
   else:
-    for i in 0 ..< safeLen(n):
-      if bodyCanRaise(p, n[i]): return true
     result = false
+    for it in sons(n):
+      if bodyCanRaise(p, it): return true
 
 proc genTryGoto(p: BProc; t: PNode; d: var TLoc) =
   let fin = if t.lastSon.kind == nkFinally: t.lastSon else: nil
diff --git a/compiler/cgen.nim b/compiler/cgen.nim
index 5f2c5a6ffc..0c2e738d3a 100644
--- a/compiler/cgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/cgen.nim
@@ -1532,8 +1532,130 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
   # process on exit; a run in which `navHits` is 0 means every lookup fell
   # through to the decoder and the chain is doing nothing.
   var navHits, navFallbacks, navRegistered: int
+  # Same reasoning for the predicate grinder: "0 disagreements" is only worth
+  # something next to how many nodes were actually graded and how many were
+  # excused, so all three are counted and reported together.
+  var gradeGraded, gradeSkipDecl, gradeSkipTyp: int
 
-  proc grindLockstep(m: BModule; prc: PSym; c: BNode; a: PNode; path: string) =
+  const nkIntLits = {nkCharLit..nkUInt64Lit}
+
+  const notGradeable = {nkTypeSection, nkConstSection, nkProcDef, nkConverterDef,
+                        nkMethodDef, nkIteratorDef, nkMacroDef, nkTemplateDef,
+                        nkLambda, nkDo, nkFuncDef}
+    ## Subtrees the predicates are not graded inside, because production never
+    ## evaluates an expression there either — `bodyCanRaise` declares the same
+    ## boundary and returns `false` for the whole set without looking in. The
+    ## nodes inside carry unresolved types (a template's parameters, a generic's
+    ## `tyGenericParam`), and asking `getSize` about one is not a disagreement
+    ## between the two spellings, it is a question with no answer in either.
+
+  proc ordinalRanges(a: PNode): bool =
+    ## Whether every `nkRange` directly under `a` has integer endpoints. The
+    ## gate for `branchHasTooBigRange`, which reads `intVal` off them: a `case`
+    ## over strings or floats has `nkOfBranch`es whose ranges hold no integer,
+    ## and production only ever reaches that proc from the ordinal path. Computed
+    ## from the AST side ALONE so the two spellings are gated identically — a
+    ## gate that consulted the cursor could hide the very disagreement it is
+    ## supposed to expose.
+    result = true
+    for it in sons(a):
+      if it.kind == nkRange and
+         (it.firstSon.kind notin nkIntLits or it.secondSon.kind notin nkIntLits):
+        return false
+
+  proc grindPredicates(m: BModule; p: BProc; prc: PSym; c: BNode; a: PNode;
+                       path: string) =
+    ## Every migrated pure predicate, run on BOTH spellings of the SAME node.
+    ##
+    ## The point of doing it HERE rather than once per body is coverage. A proc
+    ## graded at the root of a body is graded on the shapes that body happens to
+    ## start with; graded at every node it meets every shape the closure
+    ## contains, which over a standard-library build is tens of thousands of
+    ## nodes and effectively all of them. These predicates are pure and cheap,
+    ## so the whole set can be run at every node for the price of the walk that
+    ## is already happening.
+    ##
+    ## Only calls that are TOTAL on the node are made, and the predicates split
+    ## in two on that question.
+    ##
+    ## The structural ones — `isSimpleExpr`, `bodyCanRaise`, the indirection
+    ## walkers — read `kind`, children and (defensively) `sym`, and answer for
+    ## any node in a body. They are graded everywhere.
+    ##
+    ## The type-consuming ones — `isAssignedImmediately`, `fewCmps` — hand
+    ## `n.typ` to `getSize` / `mapType`, which are total only over types the C
+    ## backend can lay out. Production reaches them from exactly one shape each
+    ## (the value of a var definition; the set operand of an `in`), and away
+    ## from that shape they meet types codegen never maps — a `tyGenericParam`,
+    ## a `tyAnything` — and abort. That is not a disagreement between the two
+    ## spellings, it is a question with no answer in either, so these are graded
+    ## FROM THE PARENT at the position production calls them from. Widening a
+    ## guard until the run goes green would be the wrong move; restricting the
+    ## call to where it is defined is not the same thing.
+    template bail(what: string; cur, ast: string) =
+      internalError(m.config, prc.info,
+        "BNode/PNode disagree on " & what & " at <body>" & path & " in " &
+        prc.name.s & ": cursor=" & cur & " ast=" & ast)
+
+    template checkAt(what: string; cn: BNode; an: PNode; call: untyped) =
+      ## `call` is written ONCE and instantiated twice — once with `n` bound to
+      ## the cursor, once to the AST. Writing it twice is what would let the two
+      ## sides drift into asking different questions.
+      block:
+        let cv = block:
+          let n {.inject.} = cn
+          call
+        let av = block:
+          let n {.inject.} = an
+          call
+        if cv != av: bail(what, $cv, $av)
+
+    template check(what: string; call: untyped) = checkAt(what, c, a, call)
+
+    # Total on any well-formed node.
+    check "isSimpleExpr", isSimpleExpr(n)
+    check "reifiedOpenArray", reifiedOpenArray(n)
+    check "bodyCanRaise", bodyCanRaise(p, n)
+
+    # `skipTrivialIndirections` returns a NODE, and the two spellings return
+    # values of different types that cannot be compared directly. Kind plus
+    # line info pins which node was landed on: the proc only ever walks DOWN a
+    # spine, so two different stopping points on the same input differ in one or
+    # the other unless the tree has two identical nodes at one position, which
+    # would make the choice immaterial anyway.
+    block:
+      let cs = skipTrivialIndirections(c)
+      let a2 = skipTrivialIndirections(a)
+      if cs.kind != a2.kind:
+        bail("skipTrivialIndirections kind", $cs.kind, $a2.kind)
+      if cs.info != a2.info:
+        bail("skipTrivialIndirections info",
+             $(m.config, cs.info), $(m.config, a2.info))
+
+    # Shape-guarded, matching the contexts production calls them from.
+    if a.kind in nkCallKinds and a.safeLen > 0:
+      check "hasNoInit", hasNoInit(n)
+    if a.kind in {nkClosure, nkPar, nkTupleConstr} and a.safeLen == 2:
+      check "isConstClosure", isConstClosure(n)
+    if a.kind == nkOfBranch and ordinalRanges(a):
+      check "branchHasTooBigRange", branchHasTooBigRange(n)
+
+    # Graded from the parent — see the note above on why these two cannot be
+    # asked at an arbitrary node. `genVarTuple` asks about the tuple's last
+    # child; `genSingleVar` about the value of an `nkIdentDefs` that defines a
+    # symbol; `genInOp` about the set operand of an `in`.
+    if a.kind == nkVarTuple and a.safeLen > 0:
+      checkAt "isAssignedImmediately", c.lastSon, a.lastSon,
+              isAssignedImmediately(m.config, n)
+    elif a.kind == nkIdentDefs and a.safeLen == 3 and a.firstSon.kind == nkSym:
+      checkAt "isAssignedImmediately", son(c, 2), son(a, 2),
+              isAssignedImmediately(m.config, n)
+    if a.kind in nkCallKinds and a.safeLen > 1 and a.secondSon.kind == nkCurly and
+       a.secondSon.typ != nil:
+      checkAt "fewCmps", c.secondSon, a.secondSon, fewCmps(m.config, n)
+
+  proc grindLockstep(m: BModule; p: BProc; prc: PSym; c: BNode; a: PNode;
+                     path: string; gradeable: bool): bool {.discardable.} =
     ## Walk the `.bif` cursor and the materialised `PNode` for the SAME body in
     ## lockstep and require every vocabulary member to answer identically at
     ## every node. This grades the VOCABULARY rather than any one migrated proc,
@@ -1551,6 +1673,10 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
         "BNode/PNode disagree on " & what & " at <body>" & path & " in " &
         prc.name.s & ": cursor=" & cur & " ast=" & ast)
 
+    # The result says: nothing ANYWHERE in this subtree hit the tolerated
+    # `(ht . <sym>)` type difference. Only a subtree that clean is handed to
+    # `grindPredicates` — see the descent below for why.
+    result = true
     if a == nil:
       if not c.isNilNode: bail("nil-ness", "not-nil", "nil")
       return
@@ -1618,7 +1744,7 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
                    a.typField == nil and a.sym != nil and at == a.sym.typ and
                    c.hasExplicitNilType
     if htNilTyp:
-      discard
+      result = false
     elif (ct == nil) != (at == nil):
       bail("typ nil-ness",
         (if ct == nil: "nil" else: $ct.kind) & " raw=" & c.rawDesc,
@@ -1648,15 +1774,33 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
     # That is the part being graded here: not just that the accessors agree, but
     # that they still agree when the resolution context is built by the
     # traversal instead of handed to it.
+    let gradeHere = gradeable and a.kind notin notGradeable
     if a.safeLen > 0:
       withNodeScope(nsBlock):
         var i = 0
         for child in sons(a):
           let cc = son(c, i)
           registerDefHere(cc)
-          grindLockstep(m, prc, cc, child, here & "[" & $i & "]")
+          if not grindLockstep(m, p, prc, cc, child, here & "[" & $i & "]",
+                               gradeHere):
+            result = false
           inc i
 
+    # AFTER the descent, and only on a subtree with no tolerated type difference
+    # anywhere in it. The predicates RECURSE, so one excused node poisons every
+    # ancestor's answer too: grading `bodyCanRaise` at a call whose callee is an
+    # `(ht . <sym>)` sym would re-report that one known difference as a fresh
+    # finding at every enclosing node. Excused, not ignored — the exclusions are
+    # counted, so a run that grades nothing cannot pass for a run that grades
+    # everything.
+    if not gradeHere:
+      inc gradeSkipDecl
+    elif not result:
+      inc gradeSkipTyp
+    else:
+      inc gradeGraded
+      grindPredicates(m, p, prc, c, a, here)
+
   proc grindBNode(m: BModule; p: BProc; prc: PSym) =
     ## Differential grinding for the migrating vocabulary, opt-in via
     ## `NIM_IC_BNODE_GRIND`: run every proc that has moved to `AnyNode` over
@@ -1679,13 +1823,25 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
     ##
     ## `grindLockstep` runs last and grades the vocabulary itself rather than
     ## these two procs; it is the check that actually covers accessors no
-    ## migrated proc happens to call yet.
+    ## migrated proc happens to call yet, and it carries `grindPredicates` —
+    ## every OTHER migrated proc, run at every node of the body.
+    ##
+    ## WHAT THIS CANNOT SEE. Only a body that arrived as a deferred `nfLazyBody`
+    ## placeholder can be graded, and `ast2nif` defers only bodies whose root is
+    ## an `nkStmtList`. A one-line `proc f(x: int): int = case x ...` has an
+    ## `nkAsgn` body, is loaded eagerly, and never reaches this proc — 652 of
+    ## 1434 bodies on the reference target (`tools/icgrind`). Nor is the main
+    ## module graded at all: its routines are built in-process. Both are stated
+    ## because they are invisible from the outside — a shape added to a grind
+    ## target can produce exactly zero coverage and no diagnostic.
     if bnodeGrind < 0:
       bnodeGrind = ord(existsEnv("NIM_IC_BNODE_GRIND"))
       if bnodeGrind == 1:
         addExitProc proc () =
           stderr.writeLine "BNODEGRIND navHits=" & $navHits &
-            " navFallbacks=" & $navFallbacks & " navRegistered=" & $navRegistered
+            " navFallbacks=" & $navFallbacks & " navRegistered=" & $navRegistered &
+            " graded=" & $gradeGraded & " skipDecl=" & $gradeSkipDecl &
+            " skipTyp=" & $gradeSkipTyp
     if bnodeGrind == 0: return
     let ast = prc.ast
     if ast == nil or ast.safeLen <= bodyPos: return
@@ -1713,7 +1869,7 @@ when defined(newIcBackend):
         ": cursor=" & $curPaths & " ast=" & $astPaths)
 
     withBodyScope(scope):
-      grindLockstep(m, prc, viaCursor, body, "")
+      grindLockstep(m, p, prc, viaCursor, body, "", gradeable = true)
       let (hits, fallbacks, registered) = navStats()
       navHits += hits
       navFallbacks += fallbacks
diff --git a/tools/icgrind/grindlib.nim b/tools/icgrind/grindlib.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e756c7d1c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/icgrind/grindlib.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+# Shapes the predicate grinder needs, in an IMPORTED module with STATEMENT-LIST
+# bodies.
+#
+# Two constraints, both structural, both learned by measuring rather than
+# guessing:
+#
+# 1. The main module's routines are built in-process and never arrive as a
+#    deferred body, so nothing written in `grindme.nim` is graded at all.
+#
+# 2. `ast2nif` defers only bodies whose root is an `nkStmtList` (see the comment
+#    at the placeholder site: 82.5% of bodies, with one-line `nkAsgn` bodies the
+#    bulk of the rest). A `proc f(x: int): int = case x ...` has an `nkAsgn`
+#    body and is loaded eagerly, so it is invisible to the grinder. Every proc
+#    here therefore opens with a statement.
+
+import std/strutils
+
+proc risky*(x: int): int =
+  if x < 0: raise newException(ValueError, "neg")
+  result = x * 2
+
+proc classifyChar*(c: char): string =
+  ## `branchHasTooBigRange`, false side: char ranges are all under the limit.
+  var r = ""
+  case c
+  of 'a'..'z': r = "lower"
+  of 'A'..'Z': r = "upper"
+  of '0'..'9', '_': r = "wordish"
+  else: r = "other"
+  result = r
+
+proc bigRange*(x: int): int =
+  ## `branchHasTooBigRange`, TRUE side: 100000 > RangeExpandLimit (256).
+  var r = 0
+  case x
+  of 0..100000: r = 1
+  of 100001..200000: r = 2
+  else: r = 3
+  result = r
+
+proc smallRange*(x: int): int =
+  var r = 0
+  case x
+  of 0..10: r = 1
+  of 11..20: r = 2
+  else: r = 3
+  result = r
+
+proc inSets*(c: char): bool =
+  ## `fewCmps` true side: a narrow set of an int-based element type.
+  discard
+  result = c in {'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'} and c notin {'x'..'z'}
+
+proc bigSet*(c: char): bool =
+  ## `fewCmps` false side: wide enough that emitting the set wins.
+  discard
+  result = c in {'a'..'z', 'A'..'Z', '0'..'9', '_', '-', '.', '+', '/', '=', '%'}
+
+proc sumOpen*(xs: openArray[int]): int =
+  ## `reifiedOpenArray`: an openarray PARAM is the one shape answering false.
+  result = 0
+  for x in xs: result += x
+
+proc viaOpen*(xs: seq[int]): int =
+  result = 0
+  result += sumOpen(xs)
+  result += sumOpen([1, 2, 3])
+  result += sumOpen(xs.toOpenArray(0, 0))
+
+proc adder*(n: int): proc (x: int): int =
+  ## A real closure — `isConstClosure` false side.
+  discard
+  result = proc (x: int): int = x + n
+
+proc constClosure*(): proc (x: int): int =
+  ## `isConstClosure` TRUE side: a top-level routine as a closure value pairs
+  ## the sym with a nil environment.
+  discard
+  result = risky
+
+proc tuples*(): (int, string) =
+  discard
+  result = (risky(2), classifyChar('q'))
+
+proc noInitVar*(): int =
+  ## `hasNoInit`: a call to a `.noinit.` routine.
+  var t {.noinit.}: array[4, int]
+  t[0] = 1
+  result = t[0]
+
+proc guardedLib*(x: int): string =
+  ## `bodyCanRaise` through both a raising call and its arguments.
+  try:
+    result = $risky(x) & $risky(x + 1)
+  except ValueError:
+    result = "err"
+  finally:
+    discard
diff --git a/tools/icgrind/grindme.nim b/tools/icgrind/grindme.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..568bee6f70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/icgrind/grindme.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import std/[strutils, tables, algorithm]
+import grindlib
+
+type Kind = enum kA, kB, kC
+type Item = object
+  name: string
+  k: Kind
+  vals: seq[int]
+
+proc classify(i: Item): string =
+  case i.k
+  of kA:
+    if i.vals.len > 2: result = "many"
+    else: result = "few"
+  of kB:
+    for v in i.vals:
+      if v < 0: return "neg"
+    result = "pos"
+  of kC:
+    result = i.name.toUpperAscii
+
+proc total(i: Item): int =
+  for v in i.vals: result += v
+
+iterator pairsish(t: Table[string, int]): (string, int) =
+  for k, v in t: yield (k, v)
+
+proc build(): Table[string, int] =
+  result = initTable[string, int]()
+  var items = @[Item(name: "a", k: kA, vals: @[1, 2, 3]),
+                Item(name: "b", k: kB, vals: @[-1]),
+                Item(name: "c", k: kC, vals: @[])]
+  items.sort(proc (x, y: Item): int = cmp(x.name, y.name))
+  for it in items:
+    result[classify(it)] = total(it)
+
+when isMainModule:
+  var t = build()
+  var keys: seq[string] = @[]
+  for k, v in pairsish(t): keys.add k & "=" & $v
+  keys.sort()
+  echo keys.join(",")
+  echo guardedLib(5), " ", guardedLib(-5)
+  echo classifyChar('Q'), bigRange(150000), smallRange(5), inSets('e'), bigSet('q')
+  echo viaOpen(@[1, 2, 3]), adder(4)(5), constClosure()(3), noInitVar()
+  echo tuples()
diff --git a/tools/icgrind/readme.md b/tools/icgrind/readme.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1eb2f9c61c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/icgrind/readme.md
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# `NIM_IC_BNODE_GRIND` target
+
+Input for the differential oracle in `compiler/cgen.nim` (`grindBNode`), which
+runs every codegen proc that has moved to `AnyNode` over BOTH the `.bif` cursor
+and the materialised `PNode` for the same body and requires the same answer.
+
+    nim c -d:newIcBackend -o:bin/nim_grind compiler/nim.nim
+    NIM_IC_BNODE_GRIND=1 bin/nim_grind c --ic:on --nimcache:/tmp/ncgrind \
+      tools/icgrind/grindme.nim
+
+A disagreement is an `internalError` naming the proc, the path within the body
+and both answers. Each backend process reports its coverage on exit:
+
+    BNODEGRIND navHits=… navFallbacks=… navRegistered=… graded=… skipDecl=… skipTyp=…
+
+`graded` is what the number "0 disagreements" is worth. The two skip counts are
+printed beside it on purpose, so a run that grades nothing cannot be mistaken
+for a run that grades everything.
+
+## What this target is for
+
+The oracle grades whatever the dependency closure contains, so most of its
+coverage comes from the standard library for free. This target exists for the
+shapes the stdlib closure does NOT produce often enough to exercise both
+answers of a predicate — a `case` branch wider than `RangeExpandLimit`, a set
+literal narrow enough for `fewCmps` to prefer comparisons, an `openArray`
+parameter (the one shape `reifiedOpenArray` answers `false` for).
+
+## Two things that silently produce no coverage
+
+Both were found by counting, after adding shapes here that turned out never to
+be graded at all:
+
+1. **The main module's routines are never graded.** They are built in-process
+   and never arrive as a deferred body. Anything worth grading has to live in
+   `grindlib.nim`, not in `grindme.nim`.
+
+2. **Only `nkStmtList` bodies are deferred**, so only those can be graded — see
+   the placeholder site in `ast2nif.loadRoutine`. A one-line
+   `proc f(x: int): int = case x ...` has an `nkAsgn` body, is loaded eagerly,
+   and is invisible to the oracle. Every routine here opens with a statement for
+   that reason. Measured on this target: 782 of 1434 bodies reach the grinder.
+
+## Known coverage gap
+
+`isConstClosure` is graded but only ever on its `false` side: a const closure
+(`nkClosure(<routine sym>, nil)`) does not appear in any graded body of this
+closure — the whole run contains exactly one `nkClosure` node, the real closure
+in `adder`. Adding a shape here that produces one would be worth doing.