You can only change ONE letter, AND/OR rearrange the letters currently available. The first word is:
WINS
grim
ring
grit
girt
It's in our national anthem, so I'm sayin' it's a word!
girl
Yep, "girt" means clothed ready for action, such as wearing armour, maybe including a lance.
gill
fill
life
self
flea
flee
peel
eels
feel
left
clef
clue
luce
lace
cell
yell
yelp
ploy
plot