This paper presents an exploration of Free Search (FS) and modified Differential Evolution (DE) with enhanced adaptivity. The aim of the study is to identify how these methods can cope with changes of the number of variables of a hard design test, unaided. The results suggest that both methods can adapt successfully to the changes of the number of variables and constraint conditions. The results are presented. Contributions to the engineering design are replacement in high extent of human based search with machine based and movement of the optimisation process from human guided to machine self guided search.