Solution:
Let us denote n=1000. By the substitution x=u+1 and y=v+1 we obtain that the polynomial uv−1 divides the polynomial P(u+1)+P(v+1)−(u+v+2)n. An equivalent condition is that P(u+1)+P(v+1)−(u+v+2)n=0 whenever uv−1=0 (see remark). Thus for u=0 and v=u1 we have P(u+1)+P(u1+1)=(u+u1+2)n=un(u+1)2n. The polynomial Q(x)=P(x+1)=∑i=0naixi satisfies
2a0+i=1∑nai(ui+u−i)=Q(u)+Q(u1)=un(u+1)2n=(n2n)+i=1∑n(n−i2n)(ui+u−i)
from which it immediately follows that a0=21(n2n) and ai=(n−i2n) for 1⩽i⩽n. Hence,
P(x)=21(n2n)+i=1∑n(n−i2n)(x−1)i
Second solution. We seek polynomials P(x)=∑i=0npixi and Q(x,y)=∑i,jai,jxiyj such that
A(x,y)=(xy−x−y)Q(x,y)=(x+y)1000−P(x)−P(y)
Notice that degQ⩽998. Indeed, if ai,jxiyj is the monomial of highest degree in Q(x,y), then the coefficient of xi+1yj+1 in A(x,y) equals ai,j=0, so i+j+2⩽1000. It follows that degA⩽1000, hence also degP⩽1000.
Equating the coefficients of xiyj in (*) gives the equalities ai−1,j−1=(i1000) for i+j=998(i,j>0),ai−1,j−1=ai−1,j+ai,j−1 for i+j<998(i,j>0) and ai−1,0= a0,i−1=pi, from which by simple induction we find ai−1,j−1=(1000−i2000−i−j) for i+j⩽1000(i,j>0) and pi=(9991999−i), i.e.,
P(x)=x1000+(9991000)x999+(9991001)x998+⋯+(9991998)x
Third solution. There do not exist two distinct polynomials with the desired property. Indeed, if P1(x)≡P2(x) have this property, then xy−x−y divides the difference P1(x)+P1(y)−P2(x)−P2(y)=(xy−x−y)U(x,y). However, if cxiyj is the monomial of highest degree in U(x,y), then the coefficient of xi+1yj+1 on the left-hand side of this equality equals c=0, which is impossible.
Let us now prove that for every symmetric polynomial Q(x,y) there exists a polynomial P(t) such that xy−x−y∣Q(x,y)−P(x)−P(y). It suffices to prove that for polynomials Q of the form xiyj+xjyi(0⩽i⩽j) there exists the required polynomial Pi,j(t). The claim is trivial for i=0. For i>0 we carry out the proof by induction on i+j. Namely, xiyj+xjyi≡(x+y)(xi−1yj−1+xj−1yi−1)=(xiyj−1+xj−1yi)+ (xi−1yj+xjyi−1)(modxy−x−y), so we can take Pi,j(t)=Pi,j−1(t)+Pi−1,j(t).