I agree with most of the above, however Crypts. require a bit more caution when pruning roots, than say Swords.
When you pull the plants you will notice that Crypts. have a tendency to grow long white, almost bare roots and also some shorter roots with fine root hairs on them.
I cut the long, bare ones mercilessly, back to an inch or so. I've found that many of the shorter ones with the 'hairs' on them are a lot shorter to begin with, and I try to be a bit less radical when pruning them back.
As with trees, I feel that the long ones act more as anchors, and hairy ones more as feeders. I think it is very important to try and cut them as uniformly as possible.
IME, Crypts. are not as prone to melting when re-planting within a tank, as newly purchased ones from the LFS, or to another tank as Torf describes above. In fact, I have yet to have one melt when re-planted in the same tank. Just my experience........
Len