Abstract: A lookup system includes a ternary content-addressable memory TCAM configured to carry out a lookup on the basis of a lookup key so as to produce a preliminary lookup result. The lookup system further includes a subsystem configured to produce a final lookup result on the basis of the preliminary lookup result and auxiliary data including at least a part of bit values of do-not-care bit positions of the lookup key such that the preliminary lookup result is independent of the bit values of the do-not-care bit positions. The required number of TCAM-lines can be reduced because different alternatives of the auxiliary data corresponding to different possible bit values of the do-not-care bit positions of the lookup key are handled with the subsystem instead of the TCAM.