I PRIZE CRYPTIC 284

[MANOFTRENT]

ONE WITH A PLACE ON THE BOARD OFFERS PRETENTIOUS STUFF ABOUT BEING SKILLED WITH MONEY (5,3)

JOINS WITHOUT HINT OF EXTRAVAGANT COMPLICATIONS? (4)

I THINK THE ANSWERS ARE TABLE MAT & SUMS BUT I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC BEHIND THE CLUES.

ANY SUGGESTIONS APPRECIATED.

[mahonia]

table mat - tat around able + m

[WyeDyed]

I've got "Buts" for the second one, not too sure either.

Why are you shouting?

[porilo]

I've put FUSS. My reasoning was "joins" = FUSES, without "hint of extravagant" (= remove letter E) = FUSS (= complications).

[MANOFTRENT]

Thank you all for your answers. I think SUMS is wrong in light of your replies, wyedyed and porilo. It's certainly a clue that is open to more than one interpretation. That's the beauty (and frustration) of cryptics, I guess.

Apologies for "shouting" wyedyed, my handwriting is appalling sp it's very difficult to get out of the habit of penning everything in upper case!

[Dunworking]

I've got "HUBS"....Hubris (perhaps extravagance) with "RI" missing...which is where my logic falls down...*gets coat*

[WyeDyed]

I like the reasoning for FUSS but the clue implies a plural.

[WyeDyed]

Manoftrent - I too handwrite in capitals but on the screen it is difficult to read.

[HowardKennitby]

I went with FUSS as Porilo.