How can I prove that $n^7 - n$ is divisible by $42$ for any integer $n$? I can see that this works for any integer $n$, but I can't figure out why this works, or why the number $42$ has this property.

As $42=2.3.7$. Therefore,we need to check that $n^7-n$ is divisible by $2,3$ and 7.
 For divisibility by $2$, by fermat's little theorem, $n^2=n\pmod 2 \implies {(n^2)}^3.n=n^4\pmod 2=n^2\pmod 2=n\pmod 2 \implies n^7-n=0\pmod2$.
  For divisibility by 3, $n^3=n\pmod 3\implies n^7=n^3\pmod 3=n\pmod 3 \implies n^7-n=0\pmod 3$. For divisibility by 7, $n^7=n\pmod 7 \implies n^7-n=0\pmod 7$.  These relations implies that $42|(n^7-n)$. 
