If a compiler decides that it's going to process: unsigned mul(unsigned short x, unsigned short y) { return x*y; } in a way that causes calling code t

If a compiler decides that it's going to process: unsigned mul(unsigned short x, unsigned short y) { return x*y; } in a way that causes calling code to behave in meaningless fashion if x would exceed INT_MAX/y [something gcc will sometimes actually do, by the way, with that exact function!], the hardware isn't going to have any say in that.