WP_query Date Range results not matching loop

Question

I have written a WP_query with a date range.

            $args = array( 
                'date_query' => array( 
                    array(
                        'column' => 'post_date_gmt',
                        'after' => array('year' => $after[0], 'month' => $after[1], 'day' => $after[2])
                    ),
                    array (
                        'column' => 'post_date_gmt',
                        'before' => array('year' => $before[0], 'month' => $before[1], 'day' => $before[2])
                    )
                ),
                'posts_per_page' => -1,
                'inclusive' => false,
            );

            $posts = new WP_Query( $args ); 

which works perfectly when I output the sql and run it in phpmyadmin.

SELECT wp_posts.* FROM wp_posts WHERE 1=1 AND ( wp_posts.post_date_gmt > '2015-01-11 23:59:59' 
AND wp_posts.post_date_gmt < '2015-01-17 00:00:00' ) AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND (wp_posts.post_status = 'publish' OR wp_posts.post_status = 'private') 
ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC

However the loop prints out more posts

if ( $posts->have_posts() ) : 
   while ( $posts->have_posts() ) : $posts->the_post();

I have tried using the reset loop functions but with no luck. What am I doing wrong. This is in a page template that is trying to mimic archive.

Thanks

Chris

Answer 1

Try to run your query with

"suppress_filters" => true

WP_Query allows for posts to be added after the query has run. found_posts is the actual queried amount of posts, post_count is updated after running the filters.

If this fixes it search your code (Any active code, check network activated plugins as well) for the_posts or posts_results filter and check if that is causing it.

Another reason for this could be sticky posts as we discovered in the comments, these can be disabled using

"ignore_sticky_posts" => true

By default WP_Query adds sticky posts to the first page of archives where is_home() is true.