Simple word puzzles

[HansV]

The goal is to change the first word into the second word by changing one letter at a time. Each intermediate step must be an existing word. For example:

Change DOG to CAT.
Solution: DOG > DOT > COT > CAT
Or: DOG > COG > COT > CAT

If someone posts a valid solution, you can try to find one that uses fewer steps.

Puzzle 1: change BEER to WINE

Puzzle 2: change MICE to RATS

Puzzle 3: change LOSE to GAIN

Remark: there are websites that can solve this kind of puzzle. Please try to find a solution without using those.

[BobH]

Like this . . .

Spoiler

BEER - BREW - WERE - WIRE - WINE

Spoiler

MICE - RICE - RACE - RATE - RATS

Spoiler

LOSE - LONE - LANE - LINE - NAIL - GAIN

[HansV]

2 is entirely correct.

1 and 3 are OK, but not what I had in mind - sorry about that. I should have stated that letters should be replaced in place, e.g. LINE can become NINE but not NAIL because the latter changes the order of the letters.

[BobH]

Aaaahh!

I should have deduced that from your examples. I'll give it another go if no one else joins the game after a bit.

[douglasH]

Beer to Wine:
beer, beet, bent, went, want, wane, wine

Mice to Rats:
mice, mace, race, rate, rats

Lose to Gain:
lose, lone, lane, pane, pain, gain

[Rudi]

No pain, no gain.

[douglasH]

Hmmm... somehow I went from pane to pain in the last puzzle. Let me try this again.
Lose to Gain:
lose, lost, last, bast, bait, gait, gain

[HansV]

Excellent!