The code for sort by ID with specified number of entries, by Brenna Koch.

Example: http://www.ofrenda.org/pho/lib/mini.php

Reference/questions should go to the MT forum where this was found
http://www.movabletype.org/support/index.php?act=ST&f=14&t=28143

******** requirements ********

An installation of Movable Type running with a MySQL database
Installation of one Brad Choate plugins
- MTSQL
http://bradchoate.com/weblog/2002/07/11/sql-plugin

** Change YOURBLOGID to...your blog ID.

** desc limit 15: 15 is number of entries shown, change at will.

** Everything between the MTSQLEntries tags can be changed to suit your own purposes using MT tags of your choice.

******** start code ********

<MTSQLEntries query="select distinct entry_id from mt_category, mt_placement, mt_entry where (placement_category_id = category_id) and (placement_entry_id = entry_id) and (category_blog_id = YOURBLOGID) and (entry_status = 2) order by entry_modified_on desc limit 15">
<a href="<$MTEntryPermalink$>" title="<$MTEntryTitle$>"><$MTEntryTitle$></a>
</MTSQLEntries>

******** end code ********