since update 4.2.1 nothing works anymore

hi since today’s update the functionality of this plugin seems completely broken. I have changed nothing, use the latest WordPress version and use this plugin on the_excerpt()

I do use a custom query below the main query, maybe that’s the problem? It’s far from a difficult query as well:

<?php
                // The Query
                $the_query = new WP_Query( 'category=1&posts_per_page=3' );

                // The Loop
                while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post();
                ?>

                  <div class="news_item">
                    <h3><?php the_title(); ?></h3>
                    <p class="news_date"><?php the_time('d-m-Y'); ?></p>
                    <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
                  </div>                

                <?php
                endwhile;
                // Reset Post Data
                wp_reset_postdata();
                ?>

This is really simple stuff and this code doesn’t seem wrong to me at all. Do you have any idea what it could be? Entire template here on pastebin.

https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/advanced-excerpt/