Evolution Puzzle

Puzzle

Nothing produces more fun and amusement for an evening party than the simple game of evolution, wherein you are to transform one word into another changing one letter at a time and always spelling correct dictionary words. Thus, to transform PIG to RAT in three moves, we might proceed as follows:
PIG. PIT, PAT, RAT; or PIG, RIG, RAG, RAT.

East to West:
East, vast, vest, west.
Dog to Cat: Dog, cog, cot, cat.
Soup to Fish: Soup, sour, pour, pout, post, past, fast, fist, fish.
Road to Rail: Road, goad, goal, coal, coil, toil, tail, rail. Milk to Hash: Milk, milt, mist, mast, mash, hash.
In using the puzzle as a game, the company first agree upon the different pairs of words to be transformed, and then see which player can make all the changes in the fewest moves—the number not being previously specified. Some words take more moves than might at first be supposed. Thus, the reader will, I think, find that ROSE cannot be changed into LILY in fewer than five moves, although SHOE may be transformed into BOOT in three. The latter could not be effected under four moves were it not for the fact that the third letter is the same in each word. To test your cleverness transform the following pairs in three moves each:
1. CAT to DOG
2. BOY to MAN
3. WOOD to COAL
4.LION to LAMB
5. HATE to LOVE.
Transform the following pairs in four moves each:
6. WARM to COLD
7.FISH to MEAT
8.MORE to LESS
9. FIRE to COLD
10.RIDE to WALK.

Answer

References

• Loyd, Sam [1914]. in Loyd, Sam, Jr.: Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles Tricks and Conundrums (in English). New York: Lamb Publishing company, page 65.