468. That’s how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop.

How did I come up with this number, you ask? It’s a long process.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Tootsie Roll Pops. The fruit flavors are great, and there are at least 15 variations. But once you get to the center, the flavors get all muddled with the chocolate Tootsie Roll part.

The paper handle gets all soggy and bent. Even worse, there are those little air pockets in the candy that unexpectedly slice your tongue. But Tootsie Roll Pops have grown relentlessly in popularity ever since their invention in the 1930s.

The little suckers (pun intended) have gotten lots of attention, especially since the famous commercial that asked that timeless question, “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?”

Tootsie released the original commercial in 1970, in which a little boy poses the all-important question.  He wonders aloud to several animal friends, including a turtle and a wise old owl, but none can answer him, because they always give up and bite the pop.  Ever since the commercial, the world has wondered.

I was curious, and I decided to overcome my aversion to the candy in an attempt to reach a valid conclusion. So I started my experiment off with some basic research.

It turns out that many in the past have attempted to give the question a solid answer, but the numbers vary. Purdue University did a study, and concluded that, on average, it took 252 licks for a volunteer to get to the center. Other official studies have given their own figures and the numbers come up anywhere from 200 into the thousands.

I was a little daunted by the huge range of answers, but I jumped in. I bought a chocolate-flavored Tootsie Pop, and armed myself with a glass of water and some paper. A bunch of tally marks later, after what felt like hours, I reached the Tootsie-Roll-flavored center. Almost half a thousand licks.

I like to think my venture was successful. I accomplished what I set out to do, and I can even say that I improved my general opinion of the candy.

But, 468 licks later, I still would take a Crunch Bar over a Tootsie Roll Pop any day.