What was observed
Barry Schwartz reports that Brodie Clark reached a Google results URL containing num=100 after clicking a knowledge-panel result and counted 99 organic results. Schwartz says he could not reproduce that behaviour across several browsers. The same report mentions Clark seeing /goto links bypass earlier workarounds.
Evidence: Barry Schwartz: Google Search may be bringing back num=100 ↗
Our viewpoint
A working example is evidence that a particular response occurred, not evidence of a general product reversal. The route into the page, account state, market and query could all matter. We have not established which condition explains the observation.
This is therefore a watch item in our history. It should not be folded into the confirmed history as ‘Google restores 100 results’. A useful follow-up would reproduce it across different queries, sessions and locations while counting actual organic listings, rather than merely checking the URL parameter.
Why it would not settle the redirect problem
Result depth and destination extraction answer different questions. Even a page containing more listings can still require the collector to identify each final destination. Restoring one convenient depth setting would not, by itself, establish reliable redirect resolution or authentic results.
For procurement and reporting, keep the actual number of usable observations beside the advertised depth. Maintain existing assumptions until repeatable evidence supports a change. Our separate latest report covers the new verification delays.
Sources and verification
Checked 31 October 2026. We reviewed the public material linked below. We have not independently benchmarked the providers or tested live Google tokens for this article. A mutable status page may change after this check.
- Brodie Clark’s original LinkedIn observation ↗
First-hand post; a limited sighting rather than a confirmed general reversal.
- Barry Schwartz: Google Search may be bringing back num=100 ↗
30 October; includes Clark’s reported observation and Schwartz’s inability to reproduce it.
