Brain Game: 10th Grade

My second year of high school began in 1981. (Was that 29 years ago? Sheesh.) In English class, on the very first day, the teacher made a point to inform us that "sophomore" was based on a Greek word meaning "wise fool." Looking back - and with no offense to anyone going through it now - the term was all too appropriate for me and my peers at that age.

By changing one letter at a time to form different English words, and leaving all other letters in their original positions, convert FOOL into WISE in the fewest steps possible. Good luck!

F O O L
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W I S E