Infinite loop

[Anon]

I'd like to know why this while loop is wrong and how to correct it.
while($offst < $rws2)
{
$sq2 = "Select FROM artsub WHERE artistid = '$aid' LIMIT $offst, 1";
$rest2 = mysql_query($sq2);
$r = mysql_fetch_object($rest2);
$ct = $r->category;
$sq3 = "SELECT FROM artsub WHERE category = '$ct'";
$rest3 = mysql_query($sq3);
$rws2 = mysql_num_rows($rest3);
echo $rws2;
$offst = $rws2;
$offst++;

}

[[deleted]]

It sounds odd that this would be an infinate loop,
because in the first iteration, the condition is met:

$offst = $rws2;
$offst++;

this means that $offst >$rws2 and the loop should stop.

[Anon]

It certainly is odd. But apparently it is a problem for my web host because they shut my web site down every time it happens.