This isn't very new. I remember it was present at least a month ago.

This screenshot dated March 9 shows the adjusted input.
http://flickr.com/photos/knizam94/2320189807/sizes/o/

The first query I used to test the "new" feature out was: "this is going to be so long and meaningless that there's no purpose of continuing" – and then I was like... "that's what she said." LOL :)

In google translate they have a comparable solution for longer inputs, yet over there it often fails to work the lenght out correctly.

perhaps it just a random test

> Google only looks at up to 32 words of your query

[citation needed]. I believe the number is actually 10!

Ash, how's this for a citation:

<< "thirtythree" (and any subsequent words) was ignored because we limit queries to 32 words. >>

http://www.google.com/search?q=one+two+three+four+five+six+seven+eight+nine+ten+eleven+twelve+thirteen+fourteen+fifteen+sixteen+seventeen+eighteen+nineteen+twenty+twentyone+twentytwo+twentythree+twentyfour+twentyfive+twentysix+twentyseven+twentyeight+twentynine+thirty+thirtyone+thirtytwo+thirtythree

See also: http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2005-01-22-n48.html